Hiroshige Ando, Toto Sukiyagashi, Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji
Artist: Hiroshige Ando (1979-1858)
Title: Toto Sukiyagashi
Series Title: Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji
Publisher: Tsutaya Kichizo
Date: 1858
Size: 36.4 x 24.7 cm
Original Japanese woodblock print.
Hiroshige I was renowned as one of the most skilled landscape artists of his time. Following in the footsteps of his teacher, Toyohiro Utagawa, he embraced producing images of natural landscapes at a time when travel between provinces was becoming more common, and convenient. With this new ease of travel came the demand for guides to these foreign locales in the form of both writing and images. Hiroshige I's 'Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido' was the beginning of a long career of series of both serene, and bustling landscapes.
'The Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji' was one of Hiroshige's final series. While he produced two different series with the same name, the print visible here is from the latter. While the first series are half-sized prints oriented landscape, the second series is full-sized with portrait orientation.
This image captures Mount Fuji in a clear sky after snow and Sukiya embankment with part of the inner moat of Edo castle. Porters with loads are crossing the bridge leading into Sukiya Gate. The shape of Mount Fuji is cleverly reproduced in the shape of the house roofs lining the moat.
Hiroshige I Utagawa (Hiroshige Ando)
Hiroshige I Utagawa was a woodblock print artist best known for his landscape prints and considered as one of the greatest Japanese artists in ukiyo-e history to have influenced Western impressionists, such as Van Gogh and Claude Monet. Born in Edo (today’s Tokyo), he started sketching from an early age and was later accepted into Toyokuni I Utagawa’s highly successful studio mostly under the guidance of Toyohiro Utagawa (1773-1828), from whom he would adopt his art name. He also took nanga painting lessons that had a great influence on his later work.
In 1831 his first landscape series ‘Famous Places of The Eastern Capital’ (Toto Meisho) was published and the following year Hiroshige passed on his family responsibilities to his relatives to dedicate his entire energy to printmaking. In 1832, it is said that Hiroshige was appointed by Bakufu, the feudal government of Japan, to accompany an official procession from Edo to Kyoto along the Tokaido road. The artist made many sketches during this journey, resulting in the production of his most acclaimed series ‘Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road’, although some of the designs are based on older available images. To be noted that it was rare for an artist (and regular people in general) to be able to travel and sketch landscapes from life during the Edo period, which makes some scholars believe that Hiroshige depicted most scenes entirely from his imagination.
The ten-year period of 1833-1843 is thought to have been Hiroshige’s most developed and innovative time as an artist. A lot of series that were produced during this time, such as ‘Sixty-nine Stations of Kisokaido Road’, ‘Eight Views of Omi’ and ‘Famous Places of Kyoto’, would lead to the peak of his career when he produced the ‘Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces’, ‘Thirty-six Views of Mt Fuji’ and his last great series, ‘One Hundred Famous Views of Edo’. In addition to his landscape prints, Hiroshige also designed kacho-ga (pictures of birds and flowers), bijinga (pictures of beautiful women), yakusha-e (pictures of actors), warriors and historical subjects.
Hiroshige’s prints are particularly sought for their perspective and excellent bokashi (colour gradation). Careful overprinting and shading of colours bring to life many natural elements such as the sky or water, rocks and mountains. An appreciation for wood pattern can also be noted in Hiroshige’s prints, with certain designs showing a unique texture and an organic quality deeply cherished by collectors. As many other reputable artists, he also had many students, some of the most famous being Hiroshige II Utagawa and Hirokage Utagawa.
Print Format | Oban (Vertical) |
---|---|
Artist | Hiroshige I Utagawa (Hiroshige Ando) |
Subject | Landscapes |
Dimensions | 36.4 x 24.7 cm |
Condition Report | Backed, wear and soiling, slightly faded. |
Series | Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji |