Artwork
東海道五十三次 土山|Tsuchiyama
東海道五十三次 土山|Tsuchiyama is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Tsuchiyama is a woodblock print created by Utagawa Hiroshige around 1840 as part of his series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene scene of three travelers walking along a misty riverbank, with a forested mountain looming in the background. The travelers appear small in comparison to the natural landscape, emphasizing the power of nature.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed flat colors and simple shapes to create a dreamy atmosphere. The use of ink and color on paper in a horizontal format is characteristic of his style in this series.
Context
The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō series captures the natural and cultural landmarks along the Tōkaidō road, a major route in Japan during the Edo period. Hiroshige's focus on landscapes diverges from the typical ukiyo-e emphasis on urban subjects.
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.
