Artwork

日本湊尽 東都品川|Toto, Shinagawa

日本湊尽 東都品川|Toto, Shinagawa, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1838
日本湊尽 東都品川|Toto, Shinagawa, by Utagawa Hiroshige, ink, 1838

日本湊尽 東都品川|Toto, Shinagawa 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

Utagawa Hiroshige's *Toto, Shinagawa* (c. 1838) is a woodblock print from his ukiyo-e series, deviating from the genre's typical urban entertainment themes to focus on a serene landscape near Edo.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a tranquil Shinagawa scene, with a prominent water body, buildings, and figures on balconies, conveying a sense of calm and serenity, characteristic of Hiroshige's naturalistic approach.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink and color on paper, the work features Hiroshige's mastery of techniques like cross-hatching and subtle color gradations to achieve depth and texture, set against a distinctive blue-orange gradient sky.

History & Provenance

Created around 1838, *Toto, Shinagawa* is part of Hiroshige's landscape series, preceding or contemporaneous with his renowned *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō*, solidifying his late Edo period prominence.

Context

This piece reflects Hiroshige's contribution to the evolution of ukiyo-e, shifting focus towards natural landscapes and travel routes, influencing the perception of Japanese scenery in the late Edo period.

Legacy

As a seminal work in Hiroshige's oeuvre, *Toto, Shinagawa* continues to exemplify the aesthetic appeal of ukiyo-e landscapes, remaining a celebrated example of Japanese art from the late Edo era.

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.