Artwork
東都名所 新吉原朝桜之図|Morning Cherries at Yoshiwara
東都名所 新吉原朝桜之図|Morning Cherries at Yoshiwara 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
Utagawa Hiroshige’s 1828 woodblock print, titled *Morning Cherries at Yoshiwara*, captures a tranquil dawn in Edo’s famed pleasure district. The composition centers on blossoming cherry trees framing a solitary palanquin, while the soft morning illumination lends the scene a calm, almost reverent atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The image juxtaposes the fleeting beauty of sakura with the everyday activity of travel, symbolising the transitory nature of pleasure and life in the urban environment of Yoshiwara. By placing a kago amid the flowering canopy, Hiroshige hints at the intersection of ordinary movement and seasonal splendor.
Technique & Style
Executed in the ukiyo-e woodblock tradition, the print combines fine ink outlines with delicate color washes. Hiroshige’s characteristic use of subtle gradations renders the morning light, while the meticulous carving of branches and architectural details demonstrates his careful observation of urban scenery.
History & Provenance
Created during the late Edo period, the work reflects Hiroshige’s broader interest in landscape subjects beyond the typical courtesan quarters. The print was produced as part of a series documenting notable locations around the capital, and surviving copies are held in several Japanese and international museum collections.
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.
