Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) was one of the last great artists in the ukiyo-e tradition. Literally meaning pictures of the floating world , ukiyo-e refers to the famous Japanese woodblock print genre that originated in the 17th century and is practically synonymous with the Western world's visual characterization of Japan. Though Hiroshige captured a variety of subjects, his greatest talent was in creating landscapes of his native Edo (modern-day Tokyo) and his most famous work was a series known as 100 Famous Views of Edo (1856-1858). This book provides an introduction to his work and an overview of his career.

Exquisite depictions of romantically idealized landscapes from woodcut master's superb Fifty-three Stages on the Tokaido. Reproduced from the Collection of the Elvehjem Museum of Art. Includes The Bridge on the Toyo River, The Ferryboat at Rokugo, The Junction of the Pilgrims' Road and Mt. Fuji in the Morning from Hara.

With Hokusai, Utamaro and Kuniyoshi, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) is one of the great protagonists of ukiyo-e . With respect to Hokusai, whom he constantly compared himself to, since he was around thirty years younger, Hiroshige made landscape and nature the focus of his work by instilling in the viewer a sense of harmony, serenity and peace that, still today, is universally admired. In fact, thanks to these qualities he is one of the most praised artists and is considered the "master of nature". Hiroshige renders the human figure with quick, direct lines that at times call to mind manga and anime sketches, though simplified and essential. This monograph presents a selection of around 230 works from the most important series by Hiroshige, including views of famous places in the capital of Edo as well as in the farthest provinces, but also a body of work with the most admirable images portraying animals, flowers and insects plus original drawings and print plates that are still intact. This publication, which covers the Japanese master's entire career, is divided into eight themed sections that discuss the most important series in a thorough and illustrative way: Early Works; Travel Images; Flowers, Birds and the Moon; Views of Distant Places; View of the Oriental Capital; Hiroshige: Life and Work; Hiroshige and His Print Work: Contemporaries and the West.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) is one of the best known of all Japanese woodblock print designers. He is particularly renowned for his landscape prints, which are among the most frequently reproduced of all Japanese works of art. Hiroshige's landscape prints were hugely successful both in Japan and in the West. Their unusual compositions, humorous depictions of people involved in everyday activities and masterly expression of weather, light and seasons, proved enormously influential on many leading European artists. Aimed at a general audience, this book illustrates and discusses 53 Hiroshige landscape prints in the Ashmolean Museum's collection and explores their historical background. It gives a concise introduction to Hiroshige's life and career within the context of Japan's booming nineteenth-century woodblock print industry and explores the development of the landscape print as a new genre in this period. It also discusses and illustrates the process and techniques of traditional Japanese woodblock print-making. Contents: How to 'read' a Japanese Print, Preface, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) Woodblock Print Designer, Making a Japanese Woodblock Print, I Views along the Tokaido, II Views of the Provinces, III Views of Edo, IV Views of Mount Fuji, Further Reading.

Hiroshige. Shaping the Image of Japan is a comprehensive overview of Utagawa Hiroshige's work as a woodblock print artist. Hiroshige (1797-1858) is one of the great masters in the history of Japanese printmaking and has worked in virtually every genre of ukiyo-e or 'images of the floating world'. He achieved his greatest fame through his depictions of the Japanese landscape, which were not only popular in Japan, but also found favor with European artists at the turn of the 19th century.

Fifty charming pencil, ink, and watercolor drawings by a nineteenth-century master depict diverse but complementary aspects of Japanese art and imagination. Drawn from two rarely circulated, seldom-seen sketchbooks, these images include scenes from everyday life, rendered with expressive elegance, and episodes from classic folktales, portrayed with warm realism. Best known for his woodblock prints, Hiroshige (1797–1858) recaptured the magic of the Japanese landscape in the course of his travels throughout the country. These sketchbooks date from around 1840, when the artist was at the height of his talent and popularity. Their unique and intimate glimpses of Japan before it opened to the West—of courtesans in traditional costumes, peasants at work, serene landscapes, animals, and episodes from Kabuki drama—offer delightful souvenirs of the late Edo period and form an engaging, accessible introduction to the complex traditions of Japanese art.