Minneapolis Institute of Art

Night View of Matsuchiyama and San’ya Canal

Utagawa Hiroshige; Publisher: Sakanaya Eikichi

Date: 1857, 8th month
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper
Department: Asian Art
Institution: Minneapolis Institute of Art

This view, with its large figure depicted prominently in the foreground, is highly unusual for Hiroshige. It is nighttime, and a geisha dressed in elaborately patterned attire is walking alongside the Sumida River, following the bright lantern of her attendant. Perhaps she is headed to the Mimeguri Shrine in Mukojima. More likely she is going to the Takeya ferry, located farther downstream, which took passengers to Asakusa and the Matsuchiyama Shōden temple, whose lights are captured at center. It was here that the Nihon Embankment began, the main route to the Yoshiwara red-light district. This was a popular design, with eight differently colored versions. On the left is version no. 3, furnished with a pink title cartouche with blue-and-white clouds. In version no. 4, on the right, these clouds were printed evenly blue. Japan, Asia

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