The Floating World

1797–1858

Utagawa Hiroshige歌川広重

A fire-brigade official’s son who inherited the post at thirteen and drew his way out of it, Hiroshige became the great poet of Japanese weather. The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (1833–34) made his name; One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856–58), finished as cholera took him, changed European painting when Van Gogh and Whistler saw it. He printed rain, snow, mist, and dusk as no artist had.

The workshop

The Hōeidō house published the Tōkaidō; Uoya Eikichi issued the Hundred Views. His skies depend on bokashi — gradients wiped by hand onto the block for every single impression — so no two survive quite alike. The printer’s wrist is in every horizon.

In the house

Sparrows and Camellia in Snow — Utagawa HiroshigeUtagawa HiroshigeSparrows and Camellia in SnowUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1830sBullfinch and Weeping Cherry — Utagawa HiroshigeUtagawa HiroshigeBullfinch and Weeping CherryUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1834Kingfisher and Irises — Utagawa HiroshigeUtagawa HiroshigeKingfisher and IrisesUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1830sNihonbashi: Morning Scene — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Nihonbashi: Morning SceneUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Shinagawa: Sunrise — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Shinagawa: SunriseUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Hakone: The Lake — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Hakone: The LakeUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Mishima: Morning Mist — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Mishima: Morning MistUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Numazu: Twilight — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Numazu: TwilightUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Kambara: Night Snow — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Kambara: Night SnowUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Yui: Satta Peak — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Yui: Satta PeakUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Mariko: The Famous Tea Shop — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Mariko: The Famous Tea ShopUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34Hara: Mount Fuji in the Morning — Utagawa HiroshigeFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hōeidō edition)Hara: Mount Fuji in the MorningUtagawa Hiroshige · c. 1833–34