Artwork
東都名所 二丁町芝居の図|View of the Kabuki Theaters at Sakai-cho on Opening Day of the New Season (Sakai-cho Shibai no Zu), from the series, "Toto Meisho"
東都名所 二丁町芝居の図|View of the Kabuki Theaters at Sakai-cho on Opening Day of the New Season (Sakai-cho Shibai no Zu), from the series, "Toto Meisho" 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
This woodblock print, created around 1838 by Utagawa Hiroshige, is part of the series 'Toto Meisho'. It depicts a vibrant scene in Edo's Sakai-cho district, showcasing the artist's skill in capturing urban life.
Subject & Meaning
The print captures the excitement of a kabuki theater season opening, with a crowded street lined with tall buildings, banners, and red lanterns. The scene conveys the energy of the district during this significant event.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed bold colors and a dynamic composition to convey the movement and activity of the scene. The use of ink and color on paper is characteristic of ukiyo-e, a style that often focused on urban pleasure districts, but here is applied to a broader urban landscape.
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.
東都名所 猿若町芝居の図|Picture of the Theatres in Sakai Cho
東都名所 二丁町芝居の図|Sakai Cho Shibai no Zu
川豊春画 「浮絵境町葺屋町顔見世夜芝居之図」|Perspective Print (Uki-e) of the Theaters in Sakaichō and Fukiyachō on Opening Night
江都名所 新橋の図|Shimbashi no Zu
名所江戸百景 廓中東雲|Kakuchu Shinonome
東海道五十三次 池鯉鮒|Chiryūshuku, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road