Hiroshige. One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. 45th Ed

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) was one of the greatest artists in the ukiyo-e tradition. This genre, whose name literally means "pictures of the floating world," flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries and significantly shaped the Western visual perception of Japan. Ukiyo-e scenes often depict the bright lights and entertainment districts of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), featuring its Kabuki theater performers and beautiful women. They also showcase other aspects of urban life as well as spectacular landscapes. Hiroshige covered many different themes, but he became particularly famous for his landscape images and his final series "100 Famous Views of Edo" (1856-1858), which portrays the city throughout the seasons—from bustling shopping streets to magnificent gardens filled with blooming cherry trees. This reprint is based on one of the best-preserved complete sets of the original color woodblock prints from the Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Tokyo. Each of the 120 illustrations includes a description of the enchanting vibrant panoramas that became exemplary of Japonisme and inspired Impressionists, Post-Impressionists, and Art Nouveau artists alike, from Vincent van Gogh to James McNeill Whistler.