Who painted 東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge?

東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge was painted by Utagawa Hiroshige in 1828.

Where can I see 東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge?

東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge?

東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge

Utagawa Hiroshige , 1828

東都名所両国之宵月|Twilight Moon at Ryōgoku Bridge is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print, created in 1828, depicts Ryōgoku Bridge at dusk. Executed with ink and color on paper, the image captures a tranquil evening scene as a pale moon ascends over the horizon, illuminating the river and its surroundings.

Subject & Meaning

The composition centers on the wooden bridge’s diagonal beams spanning a broad river, where small boats drift beneath and shoreline buildings line the banks. The rising moon and the soft pink‑blue sky evoke a calm atmosphere, suggesting a moment of quiet reflection amid the bustling Edo landscape.

Technique & Style

Hiroshige employs traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock methods, using layered inks to achieve deep blues for the water and warm pinks for the sky. The intersecting bridge supports create a rhythmic pattern that guides the viewer’s eye, while subtle cross‑hatching adds texture to the water’s surface.

History & Provenance

The print forms part of Hiroshige’s series of famous Edo sites, a project that documented notable locales across the city. Produced during the Edo period, the work reflects the artist’s shift toward landscape subjects, moving beyond the genre’s usual focus on urban entertainment.

Context

Ryōgoku Bridge was a well‑known crossing on the Sumida River, linking key districts of Edo. By portraying it at twilight, Hiroshige situates the bridge within the broader cultural and geographic fabric of the capital, highlighting both its functional role and its aesthetic appeal.

Artist & collection

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.