Oiso, Odawara, Hakone, Mishima, Numazu
Original title: Oiso, Odawara, Hakone, Mishima, Numazu
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many Tōkaidō prints that isolate a single station, this 1840 colour woodblock by Utagawa Kuniyoshi brings together several places along the route—Ōiso, Odawara, Hakone, Mishima and Numazu—in one view. Travellers walk a path by the water, with a striking mountain rising behind them. The sheet is ink and colour on paper, measuring 21.9 × 34.4 cm.
Description
In the foreground, several figures in traditional Japanese dress—some with hats, staffs or baskets—move along the edge of a body of water. A large mountain, framed by trees and buildings, closes the view at the back. Blue, red and green dominate the palette. Light falls from above, picking out the contours and shadows of figures and landscape. The arrangement runs horizontally, drawing the eye to the walkers before the mountain.
Context
In 1840, during the late Edo period, the Tōkaidō—the main highway between Edo and Kyōto—was a common subject for ukiyo-e artists. Kuniyoshi produced several series on this route, often presenting the stations with humour or drama. Such prints served travellers as souvenirs and the urban population as collectibles. The series joins a wave of landscape imagery that Hiroshige's famous Tōkaidō sequence had made popular.
Impact
A calm, almost idyllic mood pervades the sheet, idealising the hardships of travel on the Tōkaidō. Clear lines and strong colours give an orderly, harmonious impression. From the figures in the foreground, the gaze moves gently to the mountain behind, creating a sense of spatial depth.
Technique
The print was made as a traditional Japanese woodblock (nishiki-e), with multiple woodblocks used for the different colours. Ink and watercolours were printed on paper, and the contours stand out through fine black lines. The precise registration of the blocks allows the detailed rendering of landscape and figures.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)