Artwork
諸國名橋奇覧 三河の八ツ橋の古図|Ancient View of Yatsuhashi in Mikawa Province (Mikawa no Yatsuhashi no kozu), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 三河の八ツ橋の古図|Ancient View of Yatsuhashi in Mikawa Province (Mikawa no Yatsuhashi no kozu), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran) is an ink print by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Hokusai’s interest in architectural subjects during his later career.
Created around 1834 by the Japanese printmaker Katsushika Hokusai, this woodblock illustration belongs to the series that surveys notable bridges across the country. The image depicts the historic Yatsuhashi bridge in Mikawa Province, rendered in ink and color on paper. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Hokusai’s interest in architectural subjects during his later career.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents a long, low‑lying wooden bridge spanning tranquil water, its simple railings supporting a procession of pedestrians. Figures clutch round fans or parcels, some pausing to sit along the railing, suggesting everyday travel and leisure. A modest hill and a dark‑green tree rise behind the bridge’s entrance, framing the composition and emphasizing the bridge’s integration into its natural surroundings.
Technique & Style
Executed with traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock methods, the print combines precise line work with flat areas of color. Hokusai employs subtle cross‑hatching to model the water’s depth and the foliage’s texture, while the palette remains restrained, soft blues for the river, muted greens for the tree, and pale sky tones that lend the scene a calm atmosphere. The balance of line and color reflects the artist’s mature handling of perspective.
History & Provenance
The print was produced as part of the "Shokoku meikyō kiran" series, a collection of bridge views commissioned in the early 1830s. After circulating among collectors in Japan, the sheet entered the Western art market in the early 20th century and was eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s Japanese prints collection.
Context
During the Edo period, bridges were both practical infrastructure and popular subjects for visual culture, symbolizing connectivity and travel. Hokusai’s focus on Yatsuhashi aligns with a broader trend of documenting regional landmarks, offering viewers a visual guide to the country’s geography. The work thus serves both as a topographical record and as an example of the period’s fascination with everyday urban scenes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
- 諸國名橋奇覧 三河の八ツ橋の古図|Ancient View of Yatsuhashi in Mikawa Province (Mikawa no Yatsuhashi no kozu), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 ゑちぜんふくゐの橋|Fukui Bridge in Echizen Province (Echizen Fukui no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 かめゐど天神たいこはし|The Arched Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine (Kameido Tenjin Taikobashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 山城あらし山吐月橋 |Togetsu Bridge at Arashiyama in Yamashiro, from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
An Ancient Picture of the Eight Part Bridge in Mikawa Province (from the series Curious Views of Famous Bridges in the Provinces)
諸國名橋奇覧 ゑちぜんふくゐの橋|Fukui Bridge in Echizen Province (Echizen Fukui no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 東海道岡崎矢はぎのはし|Yahagi Bridge at Okazaki on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Okazaki Yahagi no hashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 すほうの国きんたいはし|Kintai Bridge in Suō Province (Suō no kuni Kintaibashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
諸國名橋奇覧 飛越の堺つりはし|The Suspension Bridge on the Border of Hida and Etchū Provinces (Hietsu no sakai tsuribashi), from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)