Artwork

東都名所 猿若町芝居の図|Picture of the Theatres in Sakai Cho

東都名所 猿若町芝居の図|Picture of the Theatres in Sakai Cho, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1828
東都名所 猿若町芝居の図|Picture of the Theatres in Sakai Cho, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1828

東都名所 猿若町芝居の図|Picture of the Theatres in Sakai Cho 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 1828 woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige captures a lively urban scene in Edo-period Japan, deviating from traditional ukiyo-e subjects to focus on everyday city life.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a bustling street in Sakai Cho, showing people engaged in daily activities amidst lined buildings, conveying the energetic and vibrant atmosphere of the city.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on paper, the print utilizes a palette of blues, browns, and grays to achieve depth and atmosphere, characteristic of Hiroshige's ukiyo-e style.

History & Provenance

Part of Hiroshige's extensive oeuvre, including famous series like *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō* and *One Hundred Famous Views of Edo*, the print is now held in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

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.