Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces (Shokoku meikyō kiran)
The Suspension Bridge on the Border of Hida and Etchū Provinces
Hietsu no sakai tsuribashi
Katsushika Hokusai · c. 1830
What it is
Two figures cross a thin suspension bridge slung over a deep, misty gorge on the border of Hida and Etchū.
Why it matters
Hokusai makes the bridge a single sagging line across empty space, the most daring composition in the set.
What to notice
The bridge sags in a shallow curve, and the void beneath it is almost blank paper.
Crossing is always braver than the bridge looks.
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 · JP2944
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.