Hiroshige "Meisho Edo Hyakkei" One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, Pre-Owned, Excellent Gift!

Historical Book Of Art

"Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" is a series of ukiyo-e prints by the Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858). The series, officially titled "Meisho Edo Hyakkei" in Japanese, translates to "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo." It was published in serialized form between 1856 and 1859, during the Edo period, which is a testament to Hiroshige's profound influence on the genre of landscape ukiyo-e.

Overview
Artist: Utagawa
HiroshigeTitle: Meisho Edo Hyakkei (One Hundred Famous Views of Edo)Publication Years: 1856–1859Genre: Ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints)

The series is significant for several reasons:
Innovative Composition: Hiroshige experimented with perspective, framing, and the use of color, influencing not only Japanese art but also Western artists, including the Impressionists.
Cultural Documentation: The prints serve as historical documents of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) before it transformed into a modern capital. They depict various seasons, festivals, and daily activities of its inhabitants, providing insight into the culture and lifestyle of the time.

Artistic Mastery: Hiroshige's ability to capture the essence of a scene with minimalistic detail yet evocative color schemes highlights his mastery over the ukiyo-e technique.

Legacy

Hiroshige's work had a profound impact on the development of Japanese art and was instrumental in introducing the Western world to Japanese aesthetic principles through Japonism, a trend which influenced many European artists, including Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet. "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" remains one of Hiroshige's most celebrated works, admired for its artistic beauty and historical value.

Collection and Preservation

Today, the prints from "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" are highly prized by collectors and are held in numerous museum collections worldwide. They continue to be studied and appreciated for their artistic innovation and as a valuable resource for understanding the cultural and urban landscape of 19th-century Japan.