Artwork
東海道五十三次之内 水口 名物干瓢|Mizukuchi, Meibutsu Kampyo
東海道五十三次之内 水口 名物干瓢|Mizukuchi, Meibutsu Kampyo is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Utagawa Hiroshige. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This woodblock print, titled Mizukuchi, Meibutsu Kampyo, is a serene depiction of a riverside scene.
About this work
Overview
This woodblock print, titled Mizukuchi, Meibutsu Kampyo, is a serene depiction of a riverside scene. Created by Utagawa Hiroshige around 1834, it is part of his renowned series, The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Subject & Meaning
The print shows five individuals engaged in everyday activities near a tranquil river, with simple houses and mountains in the background. The scene captures a moment of quiet life along the historic Tōkaidō road during Japan's Edo period.
Technique & Style
Executed in ink and color on paper, the work exemplifies Hiroshige's skill in landscape-focused ukiyo-e prints. The composition and use of color convey a sense of calm, characteristic of Hiroshige's style, which often departed from the typical ukiyo-e subjects of urban entertainment.
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.
