Artwork

Ryogoku Yanagibashi (Kawachiya)|江戸高名会亭尽両国柳橋河内屋|Tea-house at the Willow Bridge

Ryogoku Yanagibashi (Kawachiya)|江戸高名会亭尽両国柳橋河内屋|Tea-house at the Willow Bridge is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1838 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Ryogoku Yanagibashi (Kawachiya) is a woodblock print created by Utagawa Hiroshige around 1838, featuring a tea-house scene at the Willow Bridge in Edo, now part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a bustling tea-house at the Willow Bridge, showcasing everyday life in Edo. Figures include a woman in red and black, a hatted man, and a kneeling woman with a food tray, amidst boats and urban backdrop.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on paper, the work exemplifies Hiroshige's ukiyo-e style, with notable elements including a warm orange bridge roof, pale sky, and intricate details like tiny, partially legible text (possibly a poem) on the right.

History & Provenance

Created circa 1838 as part of a series highlighting Edo's notable establishments, the print is now held in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection.

Context

Unlike typical ukiyo-e subjects, Hiroshige focused on landscapes and urban life, making this tea-house scene representative of his preference for depicting less common aspects of Edo's daily life and settings.

Legacy

As part of Hiroshige's oeuvre, Ryogoku Yanagibashi (Kawachiya) contributes to the artist's reputation for capturing Edo's essence through serene, detailed scenes of everyday life, influencing subsequent artistic interpretations of Japanese urban culture.

Artist & collection

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.