Hiroshige

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) was one of the last great artists in the tradition of ukiyo-e. This genre of color woodblock printing, whose name literally means "pictures of the floating world," flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. Ukiyo-e scenes range from the bright lights and entertainment districts of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to spectacular landscapes. In the West, Hiroshige's prints became exemplars of Japonisme, which enjoyed great popularity in Europe, and significantly shaped the Western visual perception of Japan. Because they were easy to reproduce, ukiyo-e images were often used for greeting cards or book illustrations. The style influenced Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and Art Nouveau artists alike. Vincent van Gogh and James McNeill Whistler were particularly taken with Hiroshige's landscapes. This volume presents key works from Hiroshige's rich oeuvre, featuring blooming cherry trees, beautiful women, and Kabuki actors, as well as bustling shopping streets, showcasing one of the great masters of Asian art history.