Utagawa Hiroshige: Gajo iccho, 50 Views of Edo Japan

UTAGAWA HIROSHIGE Art Book contains 50 Views of Edo, Japan from the series: Meisho edo hyakkei with introduction below.

Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando Hiroshige) was born in 1797. He was born as Ando Tokutaro, and later incorporated Ando in his known artist name. He was one of the last great Japanese Ukiyo-e artists. He showed great aptitude for painting very early on. Hiroshige painted a Shogun procession in 1806, a very impressive work considering his age. He first attempted to attend the school of Utagawa Toyokuni, but was rejected. Next, he attempted an apprenticeship with Utagawa Toyohiro, there he was also rejected. By 1811, at the age of 15 he finally was accepted. Toyohiro, impressed with his work, gave him the name Utagawa after only one year, not the standard of two to three years.
Hiroshige proceeded to work at the school as well as his family’s Shogun firefighting duties. This position gave him many opportunities to observe the surrounding landscapes that he incorporated into his artwork. Hiroshige had published several series of prints, but The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido was extremely successful and assured his reputation. Later in life he continued to produce thousands of prints, but he did not live with financial comfort due to the price he sold his series for. He retired in 1856 to become a Buddhist monk, but he still worked. Hiroshige died at the age of 62, on October 12, 1858.