{"id":79862,"date":"2025-05-06T18:51:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T18:51:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/79862\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T18:51:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T18:51:13","slug":"artist-of-the-open-road-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/79862\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist of the Open Road’ \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Utagawa Hiroshige<\/a> (1797\u20131858) was born in Japan on the brink of a national transformation. The Edo Period, characterized by the military rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate, had seen economic growth and sustained peace since its establishment in 1603. But 200 years on, the government\u2019s staunch policies, hierarchical structure, and isolation from the outside world was beginning to erode. In 1867, just nine years after Hiroshige\u2019s death, a new emperor restored imperial rule<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hiroshige: artist of the open road, which just opened at The British Museum<\/a>, traces the remarkable variety of locations the artist portrayed, from cherry trees and gardens to pleasure boats in the Ry\u014dgoku district of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to sweeping views of iconic Mt. Fuji. His woodcuts capture everyday life, landscapes, and culture in 19th-century Japan in vibrant color.<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cPleasure Boats at Ry\u014dgoku in the Eastern Capital\u201d (1832-34), color woodblock print triptych. Photo by Matsuba Ry\u014dko. \u00a9 Alan Medaugh<\/p>\n

Along with his contemporary peers like Hokusai<\/a>, the artist witnessed immense change throughout his lifetime, which he chronicled in thousands of woodblock prints. \u201cAs Japan confronted the encroaching outside world, Hiroshige\u2019s calm artistic vision connected with\u2014and reassured \u2014people at every level of society,\u201d the museum says.<\/p>\n

Hiroshige often assembled his prints into collections or folios, and artist of the open road includes examples from 100 Famous Views of Edo (1857), The 69 Stations of the Kiso Highway (late 1830s), and more. The exhibition also marks the artist\u2019s first solo show presented by The British Museum and the first in London in more than a quarter-century. <\/p>\n

Hiroshige: artist of the open road continues through September 7 in London. You might also enjoy perusing this fantastic ukiyo-e print archive<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cAwa: The Rough Seas at Naruto\u201d from \u2018Illustrated Guide to Famous Places in the 60-odd Provinces\u2019 (1855), color woodblock print. \u00a9 Alan Medaugh<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cSeba\u201d from \u2018The 69 Stations of the Kiso Highway\u2019 (late 1830s), color woodblock print. \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cEvening View of the Eight Scenic Spots of Kanazawa in Musashi Province\u201d (1857), color woodblock print triptych. \u00a9 Alan Medaugh<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cNihonbashi \u2013 Morning Scene\u201d from \u2018The 53 Stations of the T\u014dkaid\u014d\u2019 (c. 1833-35), color woodblock print. \u00a9 The Trustees of the British Museum<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cMt. Fuji and Otodome Fall\u201d (about 1849-52), color woodblock print. Photo by Matsuba Ry\u014dko. \u00a9 Alan Medaugh<\/p>\n

\"a\u201cThe Plum Garden at Kameido\u201d from \u2018100 Famous Views of Edo\u2019 (1857), color woodblock print. Photo by Matsuba Ry\u014dko. \u00a9 Alan Medaugh<\/p>\n

Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong> Become a Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n