Artwork Page for Fireworks at Ryōgoku, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo

Details / Information for Fireworks at Ryōgoku, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo

Fireworks at Ryōgoku, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo

1858

Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川 広重

(Japanese, 1797–1858)
Culture
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)
Medium
color woodblock print
Measurements
Sheet: 33.7 x 22 cm (13 1/4 x 8 11/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of James Parmelee 1940.986
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

The Ryōgoku Bridge, a repeated subject of Hiroshige’s prints, spanned the Sumida River connecting bustling Edo (present-day Tokyo) neighborhoods. Here, Hiroshige devoted nearly half the composition to the night sky glittering with fireworks. Restaurants and other businesses along the riverbank frequently sponsored these dazzling displays during the 1850s. The pyrotechnics drew large crowds, who gathered atop the bridge, along the shore, in teashops, and on rented pleasure boats to enjoy the show.
A vertical woodblock print in deep indigo depicts a night river scene. A thin, orange firework trail arcs through the center, while star-shaped bursts scatter across the top right. Below, dense clusters of tiny black figures crowd a long bridge spanning water filled with numerous small boats. Reddish-orange cartouches containing Japanese calligraphy sit at the edges. Horizontal dashes define the river's surface, contrasting against the dark, textured sky.

Fireworks at Ryōgoku, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo

1858

Utagawa Hiroshige

(Japanese, 1797–1858)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

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