Artwork
Miya Atsuta Shinji|東海道五十三次之内 宮 熱田神事|Festival at Atsuta Temple
Miya Atsuta Shinji|東海道五十三次之内 宮 熱田神事|Festival at Atsuta Temple is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, 'Festival at Atsuta Temple', is part of Utagawa Hiroshige's series 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō', created in 1828. It depicts a lively scene at Atsuta Shrine using ink and color on paper.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows a chaotic festival scene at a temple gate, with people in red and blue clothing running, climbing, and swinging from ropes. A horse with a warrior-like rider is being pulled through the crowd, suggesting a dramatic or ceremonial event.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige's composition is characteristic of the series, with a horizontal format and a focus on capturing a dynamic scene. The artist's use of color and arrangement of figures creates a sense of energy and movement.
Context
As part of 'The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō', this print expands the traditional ukiyo-e genre, which often focused on urban entertainment, to include landscapes and scenes of everyday life, showcasing Hiroshige's ability to turn ordinary subjects into dramatic narratives.
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.
