color woodblock print, paper, 41x27 cm, signed by the artist; on the reverse, the publisher’s seal and the artisans’ marks: carved by Endo, printed by Itakura
The woodcut depicts a spectacular, deep gorge along the Katsura River in the former Kai Province (present-day Yamanashi Prefecture). The wooden bridge visible at the top was one of the engineering marvels of ancient Japan. It consisted of a unique cantilevered structure—instead of pillars resting on the riverbed, the load-bearing beams extended directly from the cliff faces, layered one upon another. Hiroshige masterfully employed perspective to emphasize the height of the bridge and the surrounding rocks. Below, between the vertical rock formations, flows the swift current of the Katsura River. Above, the red foliage of autumn maples reigns supreme.
This classic design was reproduced by the renowned Tokyo publisher Oedo Mokuhansha during a period of renewed interest in ukiyo-e (the second half of the 20th century). Like many other traditional businesses, the craft of woodblock printing was passed down from generation to generation, and Oedo Mokuhansha was founded by the descendants of an Edo-period publisher. These are beautiful prints of the highest quality and an excellent choice for those seeking high-quality reprints of old woodblock prints.
Hiroshige Andō, also known as Hiroshige Utagawa, is one of Japan’s most famous painters and printmakers. His father, Andō Genuemon, was a low-ranking samurai and an officer in the fire brigade. From the age of sixteen, Hiroshige trained in the studio of Utagawa Toyohira, under whose guidance he developed his skills and talent. The young Hiroshige soaked up the artistic atmosphere while also helping out with the day-to-day operations of his father’s fire brigade. It wasn’t until he was 27 that he decided to devote himself entirely to a career in the arts. After his teacher’s death in 1822, he was offered the chance to take over his master’s studio, but Hiroshige declined the offer and chose to work independently. Hiroshige’s artistic output has not yet been fully cataloged, but it is estimated that he produced approximately 5,000 works, primarily in the technique of color woodblock printing. He began his career with portraits of beautiful women (bijin-ga) and depictions of kabuki actors (yakusha-e), but after his teacher’s death, he focused primarily on native landscapes. Hiroshige came from a samurai family, yet he identified with Edo’s bourgeois culture. He became famous primarily as the creator of landscape series such as: Fifty-Three Stations on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi), One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei), and Sixty-Nine Stations on the Kisokaidō Road (Kisokaidō rokujūkyū tsugi no uchi). He masterfully depicted landscapes at various times of the year and day, and was interested in weather phenomena. He experimented with effects and composition, employing unconventional foreshortening. A distinctive feature of his work is his depiction of atmospheric phenomena such as snowfall, rain, gales, and storms. He was also fascinated by the phenomenon of shadow and its effects in both landscapes and domestic interiors.
