Artwork
東海道五十三次之内 大津 走井茶屋|Otsu, Soii Chaya
東海道五十三次之内 大津 走井茶屋|Otsu, Soii Chaya is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, Otsu, Soii Chaya, is a work by Utagawa Hiroshige, created circa 1834 as part of his series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a bustling street scene in Otsu, a town along the Tōkaidō road that connected Edo to Kyoto, featuring a tea house and everyday activities.
Technique & Style
Rendered in ink and color on paper, the print showcases Hiroshige's use of simple lines and flat colors to convey depth, characteristic of ukiyo-e woodblock printing.
Context
Hiroshige's work was part of a shift in ukiyo-e towards landscapes and travel scenes, diverging from the traditional focus on urban subjects.
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.
