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Nihon Bridge and Edo Bridge, no. 43 from the series One-hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo

Nihon Bridge and Edo Bridge, no. 43 from the series One-hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo

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Utagawa Hiroshige

Hiroshige achieved great success in this series with his novel approach to landscape designs. He increased the size of the figures and also used unusual viewpoints and extensive cropping. Large figures and objects in the immediate foreground give an illusion of vast spacial depth. Published between 1856 and 1859 (the year after his death), this was Hiroshige’s last major series and includes some of his most recognizable designs. Nihon Bridge and Edo Bridge dramatically juxtaposes the two bridges. From the foot of Nihon Bridge one looks over the wooden railing to the distant Edo Bridge. The post, railing, and basket of fish abruptly crop out the fishmonger. Rather than showing the fish market near the Nihon Bridge as was customary, Hiroshige simply refers to it visually with the basket.
Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige
(Japanese, 1797 - 1858)
Title
Nihon Bridge and Edo Bridge, no. 43 from the series One-hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo
Date
12/1857
Medium
Color woodcut
Dimensions
339 x 221 mm Overall
Credit
Bequest of John H. Van Vleck
Accession No.
1980.1622
Classification
Prints
Geography
Japan

Related

By 1925, purchased in Japan by Frank Lloyd Wright; ca. 1926, acquired by The Bank of Wisconsin; 1928, sold to Edward Burr Van Vleck (Madison, WI); 1943, passed through inheritance to Edward’s son, John H. Van Vleck (Madison, WI); 9 January 1980, bequeathed by John H. Van Vleck to the Elvehjem Museum of Art [now called Chazen Museum of Art]

  • Mueller, Laura. "Competition and Collaboration: Japanese Prints of the Utagawa School." Leiden, The Netherlands: Hotei Publishing, 2007. p. 124, no. 95
  • Schlombs, Adele. "Hiroshige: 1797-1858." Koln, Germany: Taschen, 2007. p. 22
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Hiroshige ten: Seitan 200-shunen kinen (200th Anniversary Hiroshige Exhibition)." Madison, WI: Elvehjem Museum of Art; Japan: Bun You Associates, 1996. no. 155
  • Elvehjem Museum of Art. "Ando Hiroshige: 100 Famous Views of Edo." Madison: Elvehjem Museum of Art, 1982. p. 26, cat. no. 43
  • Marks, Andreas. "Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo: The Definitive Collector's Edition." Tuttle Publishing, 2024. p. 283, no. 43.1
  • p. 129

  • Utagawa: Masters of the Japanese Print, 1770-1900: Chazen Museum of Art, 11/2/2009–11/26/2009
  • 200th Anniversary Hiroshige Exhibition (Hiroshige ten: seiten 200-shunen kinen): Elvehjem Museum of Art, 4/29/1996–12/8/1996

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