Edo Fan No.3 Ukiyoe: The Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido, Hiroshige Nihonbashi

7.5cm (22.5cm) White bamboo

Made by Ibasen

Hiroshige Utagawa, Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Highway, Nihonbashi

Excerpts from "Ukiyo-e: An Introduction to Ukiyo-e," edited by Shinichi Inagaki

Large size nishikie. Large size Nishiki-e, dated 1871. 〽︎ The picture is full of the spirit of Edo, as if the song "Oedo Nihonbashi Nanatsu Hatchi..." can be heard from the screen. When the wooden doors open early in the morning at 7 a.m. (4 a.m.), a procession of dignified lords with pincers and spears at the front heads westward.

Hiroshige was enthusiastic about the fresh angle from which he viewed the procession from the south, or Yaesu side of the street.

On the left side is a kousatsu, a high tag on which are written prohibitions and regulations. Fishmongers dodge the procession in front of it.

On the other side of the bridge is a fish market that sells 1,000 ryo a day.

The success of this series established Hiroshige as a leading landscape painter.

From the above excerpt.

The background color, known as "Ichimonji Bokashi," is a simple blur that looks as if a single character has been subtracted to express time and season.

The merchants and puppies at the foot of the bridge are also adorable, and the lively and heartwarming scene of the Edo people can be seen today.

Hiroshige pioneered the modern camera angle. His bold compositions were sometimes imitated by Impressionist artists, and his Edo Ukiyoe style is still relevant today.