Artwork
東都三十六景 隅田川三囲り堤|Sumidagawa, Mimeguri
東都三十六景 隅田川三囲り堤|Sumidagawa, Mimeguri is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 3 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print *Sumidagawa, Mimeguri* is a night‑time view of the Sumida River in Edo. Executed in ink and color on paper, the image belongs to his series *Thirty‑six Views of Eastern Capital*, which records varied perspectives of the city’s waterways.
Subject & Meaning
The scene shows a curved bridge spanning the river under a bright moon. Three figures occupy the bridge: a man with a telescope, a caregiver holding a child, and a third person in a wide‑sleeved robe. Bare branches and a distant tiled‑roofed building frame the composition, suggesting a quiet, contemplative moment along the riverbank.
Technique & Style
Created in the ukiyo‑e tradition, the print combines delicate line work with flat areas of color to convey atmospheric light. Hiroshige’s handling of the moonlit sky and the subtle glow on the foliage demonstrates his skill in rendering nocturnal ambience through layered woodblocks.
History & Provenance
Produced in the late Edo period, the work reflects Hiroshige’s shift toward landscape subjects, moving away from the genre’s typical focus on urban entertainment scenes. It was issued as part of the *Thirty‑six Views of Eastern Capital* series, which was widely circulated among the merchant class.
Context
During the mid‑19th century, Edo’s river routes were central to daily life and travel. Hiroshige’s depiction of the Sumida River captures both the functional importance of the bridge and the serene atmosphere of a moonlit night, aligning with contemporary interest in the poetic qualities of familiar cityscapes.
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.
