Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
The Hanging-cloud Bridge at Mount Gyōdō near Ashikaga
Ashikaga Gyōdōzan kumo no kakehashi
Katsushika Hokusai · c. 1830
What it is
A small roofed bridge spans the gap between two peaks at Mount Gyōdō near Ashikaga, high above the clouds.
Why it matters
The hanging-cloud bridge is the most fantastic in the series, a footway strung between mountain tops.
What to notice
The bridge is tiny against the peaks, and cloud fills the valley beneath it.
Some bridges connect places, and some connect a person to the sky.
The record
- Artist
- Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎 (1760–1849)
- Series
- Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
- Date
- c. 1830
- Medium
- woodblock print; ink and color on paper
- Source
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art · JP1396
Impression note. A horizontal ōban, about 26 by 38 cm on the Met record. The bridges are drawn in fine, exact lines against broad fields of colour, and a clean impression keeps every plank and rail distinct. This is the largest clean open impression of the design the Met holds. Impression variance is real — printings differ in wiping and fading — and choosing the finest openly held impression is the curatorial act.
Public domain; faithfully reproduced.
Bring it home
Printed to order on EMA matte art paper, 200gsm.
From the same series
Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)Ancient View of Yatsuhashi in Mikawa ProvinceKatsushika Hokusai · c. 1834
Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)Fukui Bridge in Echizen ProvinceKatsushika Hokusai · c. 1830
Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)Kintai Bridge in Suō ProvinceKatsushika Hokusai · 1827–30
Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)Old View of the Boat-bridge at Sano in Kōzuke ProvinceKatsushika Hokusai · c. 1830The road at your moment — Painted Earth’s ukiyo-e style pack.