Artwork
東海道五十三次 舞阪|Maizaka Station
東海道五十三次 舞阪|Maizaka Station 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
Utagawa Hiroshige’s woodblock print *Maizaza Station* dates to about 1838 and forms part of his extensive series *The Fifty‑three Stations of the Tōkaidō*. The series documents each post town along the historic coastal route that linked Edo (modern Tokyo) with Kyoto, offering a visual travelogue of the journey.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a mist‑shrouded mountain rising above a river, where two boats navigate the water. A solitary figure occupies a small vessel, while a larger boat carries several passengers and cargo, suggesting a moment of ordinary travel and commerce amid a tranquil, atmospheric landscape.
Technique & Style
Executed in ink and color on paper, the print relies on brisk, sharply angled strokes to render the mountain’s shadows, giving the rock a textured, almost sketch‑like quality. Cross‑hatching in the foreground creates subtle depth, while the limited palette of pale sky, soft blues, and grays conveys a muted, misty ambience.
History & Provenance
Created during the late Edo period, the work reflects Hiroshige’s shift from the conventional ukiyo‑e focus on urban pleasure districts toward a broader interest in travel and natural scenery. It was produced as part of a commercially successful series that circulated widely among the public and collectors of the time.
Context
The Tōkaidō road was the principal artery of Japan’s transportation network, and each station served as a hub for travelers, merchants, and officials. Hiroshige’s depiction captures the everyday rhythm of movement along this route, emphasizing the interplay of geography and human activity.
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.
