Hiroshige's Complete "Tokaido Road" Woodblock Print Album
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An album of Japanese woodblock prints, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), Edo period (1615-1868), a complete set of 55 oban yoko-e (horizontal) prints from the 53 stations of the Tokaido Road series 'Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi' each signed Hiroshige ga, published by Takenouchi Magohachi and Tsuruya Kiemon (Hoeido/Senkakudo), mounted as an album, 21.3 x 33.9 cm each. Other Notes: the 514 KM long Tokaido Road linked the shogun's capital of Edo (present day Tokyo) and the Imperial capital Kyoto. In 1832, Hiroshige traveled with an entourage of the shogun's officials along the fifty-three 'Halting places' which started at Nihonbashi (Japan bridge) in Edo and finished at the great Sanjo bridge in Kyoto. Roughly translated as 'Eastern sea route ', the trip encompassed many 'Meisho', literally famous sites, such as Mt. Fuji but also rural enclaves and winding mountain passes and hazardous river crossings. It was to be a life-changing journey, for as an urban man of Edo, Hiroshige had experienced life mainly in the capital. He immediately returned to Edo after the trip and began his masterwork woodblock series from the sketches he had made along the journey. Published from 1833-1834, the Fifty-Three stations of the Tokaido earned Hiroshige great popular and critical acclaim during his lifetime and for generations to come, this album is a rare extant example of the entire set of 55 prints, one of each of the stations plus two for the beginning and end points. The scenes are a blend of daimyo's (feudal Lord) lifestyle, whimsical images of daily life and ordinary people like merchants and peasants as well as popular stops marked by many temples, shrines and inns, which he made famous through his prints. Hiroshige was able to expertly capture moody and atmospheric weather conditions, rendering mist, rain, snow, and evening effects with great skill and beauty. He was also able to convey a range of human interaction through the figures on the designs, of contemplation, merriment and struggle.
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- Edo Period, Japan - The Edo period in Japan lasted from 1603 to 1868. During this time, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate, a military government led by the Tokugawa family. The Edo period is characterized by a period of relative peace, stability, and economic growth, as well as by the development of a distinctive culture and society.
During the Edo period, the capital of Japan was moved from Kyoto to Edo (modern-day Tokyo), and the country became increasingly isolated from the rest of the world. The shogunate implemented strict policies to maintain control, including the restriction of foreign trade and travel. However, despite this isolation, the Edo period saw significant cultural and artistic development, including the emergence of the ukiyo-e woodblock print tradition, the growth of Kabuki theater, and the flourishing of a vibrant merchant culture.
The Edo period ended with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which saw the collapse of the shogunate and the restoration of imperial rule.
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