HIROSHIGE: 100 Views of Edo

The One Hundred Views of Edo by Andô Totikaro, better known as Hiroshige (1797-1858), rank highly amongst the most famous Japanese artistic productions of all time. The art of the Ukiyo-e School of Popular Painting reflected the artistic expression of an isolat civilization which, when it became accessible to the West, significantly influenced a number of European artists. Both Monet and Van Gogh drew inspiration from this "new" style. In Edo, now modern tokyo, Hiroshige was the pupil of Toyohiro. On the death of his teacher, Hiroshige moved to Kyoto where he set up his own studio. Of the sets of prints he created there, many were views on the Tokaido road and these made Hiroshige famous. Early European visitors began buying and bringing the works home; this triggered a fasciantion for Japanese art in Europe which remains to this day. The composition of the works in this series is striking and reveals astonishing artistic diversity. The contrast of the plains and the richness of the color, combine to confirm the extraordinary talen of Hiroshige. Here Mikhail Uspensky examines the artistic qualities of a selection of Hiroshige's prints (and earlier works) held in Russian museums. The author discuesses the history of ukiyo-e style in Hiroshige's works and those of other practioners. Illustrations are accompanied by explanations and poetic captions.