Artwork
東海道五十三次 土山|Tsuchiyama
東海道五十三次 土山|Tsuchiyama 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.
- Accession no.
- JP800
About this work
Overview
Tsuchiyama is a woodblock print created by Utagawa Hiroshige around 1840 as part of his series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a serene scene of three travelers walking along a misty riverbank, with a forested mountain looming in the background. The travelers appear small in comparison to the natural landscape, emphasizing the power of nature.
Technique & Style
Hiroshige employed flat colors and simple shapes to create a dreamy atmosphere. The use of ink and color on paper in a horizontal format is characteristic of his style in this series.
Context
The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō series captures the natural and cultural landmarks along the Tōkaidō road, a major route in Japan during the Edo period. Hiroshige's focus on landscapes diverges from the typical ukiyo-e emphasis on urban subjects.
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.
