Artwork
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
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 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
Created circa 1853, this woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige forms part of his series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty‑Odd Provinces. Executed in ink and color on paper, the image presents a tranquil riverside scene from Inaba Province, identifying the locale as Kajikoyama.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a solitary pine rising from a grassy bank beside a still water surface, its detailed branches extending toward a sky tinged pink by the setting light. Smaller trees and scattered rocks populate the foreground, while distant hills recede into atmospheric perspective, conveying a calm, natural landscape.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employs the traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock process, combining bold, saturated pigments with precise line work. The clear delineation of the pine’s foliage and the smooth gradations of the sky demonstrate his skill in balancing strong color areas with subtle tonal shifts.
History & Provenance
The print was issued during the late Edo period, a time when Hiroshige was celebrated for his travel and landscape series rather than the genre scenes typical of earlier ukiyo‑e. The work bears the artist’s signature in the lower corner and a textual label on the right edge naming the site, confirming its place within the provincial series.
Context
Inaba Province, located in present‑day Tottori Prefecture, was a frequent subject of travel literature and guidebooks. Hiroshige’s depiction aligns with the period’s growing interest in regional scenery, offering viewers a visual record of a recognizable landmark within a broader national map of celebrated sites.
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 播磨 舞子の浜|Maiko Beach, Harima Province, from the series Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces
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
六十余州名所図会 肥後 五ヶの庄|Goka no Shō, Higo 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
冨嶽三十六景 信州諏訪湖|Lake Suwa in Shinano Province (Shinshū Suwako), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
六十余州名所図会 壱岐 志作|Winter View of Shimasaku in the Province of Iki
冨嶽三十六景 相州江の島|Enoshima in Sagami Province (Sōshū Enoshima), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)