Artwork
六十余州名所図会 壱岐 志作|Snowfall at Shimasaku, Iki Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces
六十余州名所図会 壱岐 志作|Snowfall at Shimasaku, Iki Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1853 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, 'Snowfall at Shimasaku, Iki Province', is part of a series by Utagawa Hiroshige depicting famous places across Japan's sixty-odd provinces. Created around 1853, it showcases the artist's skill in capturing serene landscapes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a tranquil winter scene: a snow-covered rocky island with a lone pine tree, surrounded by calm waters and distant mountains under a starry night sky. The composition evokes a sense of peacefulness and drama, highlighting the beauty of a snowy landscape.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed simple shapes and bold colors to create depth in the scene. The use of ink and color on paper is characteristic of ukiyo-e, a genre in which Hiroshige was a leading figure, known for his innovative landscape works that diverged from the typical focus on urban entertainment.
History & Provenance
Produced during Japan's Edo period, this print is part of Hiroshige's 'Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces' series, a horizontal-format collection that showcases his expertise in landscape art.
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.
六十余州名所図会 壱岐 志作|Winter View of Shimasaku in the Province of Iki
六十余州名所図会 武蔵 隅田川 雪の朝|Morning after a Snowfall, the Sumida River, Musashi Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces
歌川広重画 「あふみ八景 比良暮雪」|Evening Snow at Mount Hira, from the series Eight Views of Ōmi (Ōmi hakkei)
六十余州名所図会 因幡 か路小山|View of Kajikoyama, Inaba Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces
江戸名所四十八景 神田明神|Kanda Temple Snow
雪月花 隅田|Snow on the Sumida River (Sumida), from the series, Snow, Moon, and Flowers (Setsugekka)
東都名所 神田明神境内雪晴之図|“Clear Weather after Snow in the Precincts of the Kanda Myōjin Shrine” (Kanda Myōjin keidai yukibare no zu), from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital (Tōto meisho)
六十余州名所図会 播磨 舞子の浜|Maiko Beach, Harima Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces
東海道五十三次之内 蒲原 夜の雪|Evening Snow