Artwork
東海道五十三次 見附|Mitsuki
東海道五十三次 見附|Mitsuki is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, titled 'Mitsuki', is part of Utagawa Hiroshige's 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō' series, created around 1838. It depicts a serene riverside scene in a horizontal format, using ink and color on paper.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows a lone horseman leading a pack donkey towards a bridge, accompanied by a drifting boat with two passengers. Tall trees and a soft, pale sky frame the tranquil atmosphere, capturing a moment of everyday life along the Tōkaidō road.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed simple shapes and bold outlines to convey depth, with flat yet vibrant colors dominating the landscape. Blues and greens are particularly prominent, reflecting his focus on atmospheric and topographical detail characteristic of his landscape-oriented ukiyo-e style.
Artist & collection
Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川 広重) or Andō Hiroshige (安藤 広重), born Andō Tokutarō (安藤 徳太郎; 1797 – 12 October 1858), was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition.
