Artwork

東海道五十三次 岡崎 矢はぎ川|Okazaki

東海道五十三次 岡崎 矢はぎ川|Okazaki, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1840
東海道五十三次 岡崎 矢はぎ川|Okazaki, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1840

東海道五十三次 岡崎 矢はぎ川|Okazaki is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Okazaki is a woodblock print from Utagawa Hiroshige's *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō* series, created circa 1840. It captures a serene riverside moment along the historic Tōkaidō road.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts everyday life along the Minagi River near Okazaki, showcasing a wooden bridge, travelers, and a distant castle under a soft sunset. It highlights ordinary moments in a renowned travel route.

Technique & Style

Hiroshige employed bold colors and simple shapes to convey a sense of peaceful movement. The composition blends trees and buildings into the background, emphasizing the scene's tranquility and activity.

History & Provenance

Created around 1840 by Utagawa Hiroshige, a prominent Edo period ukiyo-e artist, as part of his innovative landscape series that diverged from typical urban ukiyo-e themes.

Context

Part of *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō*, this work reflects Hiroshige's focus on nature and travel, contrasting with the prevalent urban subjects in ukiyo-e at the time.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Utagawa Hiroshige

Artist

Utagawa Hiroshige

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.