Artwork
東海道五十三次之内 品川 諸侯出立|Shinagawa; Shoko Detachi
東海道五十三次之内 品川 諸侯出立|Shinagawa; Shoko Detachi 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
Created circa 1834, this woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige forms part of his extensive series illustrating the fifty-three post stations along the Tōkaidō route. The image captures a lively riverside scene at Shinagawa, where travelers, merchants, and boats converge under a softly colored sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition portrays a bustling market beside the river, with figures loading and unloading goods, some standing on the bank while others navigate small vessels. The presence of a towering tree on the right anchors the scene, suggesting a moment of ordinary commerce and travel within the broader network of Edo‑period highways.
Technique & Style
Executed in ink and color on paper, the print employs Hiroshige’s characteristic horizontal format. Delicate washes of blue and pink render the sky, while bold outlines define figures and boats. The balanced use of flat color areas and fine line work reflects the ukiyo‑e tradition adapted to landscape subjects.
History & Provenance
The work belongs to the series "The Fifty‑three Stations of the Tōkaidō," commissioned during Hiroshige’s mature period when he focused on travel scenes rather than urban pleasure districts. Original impressions were produced in Edo’s bustling print workshops and later entered private and institutional collections worldwide.
Context
During the early 1830s, the Tōkaidō road served as the principal artery linking Edo and Kyoto, and its stations were popular subjects for travelers and artists alike. Hiroshige’s series offered a visual itinerary, documenting the varied landscapes and daily activities encountered along this route.
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.
