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Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom Along the Sumida River [Sumida-gawa hana-zakari]

Andō Hiroshige

1840

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Landscape

Dominant colour

Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom Along the Sumida River [Sumida-gawa hana-zakari] is a 1840 ink by Andō Hiroshige, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Andō Hiroshige
When & what style?: 1840 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This picture shows a river with boats carrying people and goods. On one side, a hill covered in green trees and pink blossoms rises sharply. The sky is soft orange near the horizon, and the water is calm. A few small buildings sit near the top of the hill, and a few people are scattered along the shore. The pink trees are cherry blossoms, a sign of spring in Japan. The artist used bright colors to show the season’s beauty, but kept the scene simple and peaceful. Next, look up woodcut to see how this print was made.