Color woodcut, ink, paper, 40x26 cm, artist's signature, publisher's mark in margin
A fantastic view of a sudden downpour over the Shin-Ohashi and Atake Bridge on a late summer afternoon in Edo. Rain is pouring down from a dark sky, and people crossing the New Great Bridge are seeking shelter, hiding under umbrellas, hats and straw mats. A lone raftman paddles his raft along the Sumida River, and the opposite bank, known locally as Atake, draws a dark gray shadow. The rain is beautifully rendered with delicate lines, and the subtle shading of bokashi on the water and sky enhances the stormy mood.
In 1856 Hiroshige began work on his last major series and masterpiece, "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo." The series contains 118 vertical woodcuts depicting Hiroshige's classic landscapes. From spring cherry blossoms to summer fireworks, from peaceful scenes by the river to lavish festival celebrations, Hiroshige captured life in old Edo in a dramatic and interesting way. In many of his prints, Hiroshige employed an innovative compositional technique, using large foreground elements to frame a distant view in the background. Beautifully printed with delicate bokashi shading, the "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" series is still popular today as one of Hiroshige's great masterpieces and includes some of his most memorable images.
These classic designs were reproduced by renowned Tokyo publisher Oedo Mokuhansha during a period of renewed interest in ukiyo-e (second half of the 20th century). Like many traditional businesses, the craft of woodblock printmaking was passed down from generation to generation, and the Oedo Mokuhansha company was founded by descendants of an Edo period publisher. These are beautiful prints of the highest quality standards and an excellent choice for those looking for high-quality reissues of old woodcuts.
Hiroshige Andō, also known as Hiroshige Utagawa, is one of Japan's best-known painters and printmakers. His father, Andō Genuemon, was a low-ranking samurai and fire brigade officer. From the age of sixteen, Hiroshige studied in the studio of Utagawa Toyohira, under whose tutelage he developed his skills and talent. Young Hiroshige soaked up the artistic atmosphere while helping in the daily life of his father's brigade. It wasn't until he was 27 that he fully decided to follow the path of artistic creation. After his teacher's death in 1822, he was offered to take over the studio after his master, but Hiroshige declined the offer and set his sights on independence. Hiroshige's artistic output has not been fully catalogued to this day, but it is estimated that some 5,000 works were created, primarily in the color woodcut technique. He began his career with portraits of beautiful women (bijin-ga) and images of kabuki actors (yakusha-e), but after the death of his teacher he focused primarily on native landscapes. Hiroshige came from a samurai family, however, he identified with Edo's bourgeois culture. He became primarily known as the creator of landscape series such as Fifty-three Stations on the Tōkaidō Road(Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi), One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo(Meisho Edo hyakkei) and Sixty-nine Stations on the Kisokaidō Road(Kisokaidō rokujūkyū tsugi no uchi). He masterfully depicted the landscape at different times of the year and day, and was interested in weather phenomena. He experimented with effects and composition and used unconventional shortcuts. A unique element in his works is the depiction of atmospheric phenomena such as snowfall or rainfall, as well as gales and storms. On the other hand, he was interested in the phenomenon of shadow and its effect both in the landscape and domestic interiors.
