Artwork
東海道五十三次 袋井 名物遠川だこ|Fukoroi
東海道五十三次 袋井 名物遠川だこ|Fukoroi is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, Fukoroi, is part of Utagawa Hiroshige's series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō, created around 1840. It showcases Hiroshige's skill in ukiyo-e, a genre he adapted to emphasize atmospheric landscapes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene landscape with a road traversing green fields and trees, accompanied by three kites in the sky, each uniquely shaped. The scene captures a tranquil moment, with the kites' strings converging at a single point, suggesting a sense of unity.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed a horizontal format and subtle color palette to evoke a particular mood. The use of simple lines and bold colors adds vitality to the scene, while the artist's handling of color gradation, such as the sky's transition from pale blue to soft orange, enhances the atmosphere.
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.
