No.32 "Arai: Ferry Boats" from the series Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido
Fine Arts The Japanese Prints: Ancient and ModernItem Info
Source: Print and Picture Collection
Notes:
"In the early 1830's, Hiroshige's first landscape prints appeared. He subsequently became the leading landscape artist and was especially known for his series on the Tokaido highway that connected Edo (present day Tokyo) with Kyoto. The earliest and most famous of these, generally known by the name of the publisher as 'Hoeido ban Tokaido' (Tokaido published by Hoeido), was issued from 1832-33. Hiroshige III stated sixty years later that Hiroshige's designs are after sketches he took during a journey to Kyoto, however, most of his designs are undoubtedly inspired from illustrations in guide books like the Tokaido meisho zue ('Gathering of Views of Famouse Sightss alonf the Tokaido;' 1797) and even this alleged journey cannot be verified."
from "Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900", Andreas Marks. Tuttle Publishing. p.132
Notes:
"Separated from Maisaka by about two miles of water, Arai was the site of a government inspection barrier - the next in importance to the one at Hakone. This is to be seen at the extreme right in Hiroshige's print."
from "The Fifty-Three Stages of the Tokaido by Hiroshige", Tokyo, Japan. Heibonsha Ltd., Publishers, 1960. plate 32
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/125651
Notes:
note card with print
Station 32
Arai: Ferry Boats. The larger boat, with curtains, banners, and fur-tipped lances, is clearly carrying a major personage - most probably a daimyo - across the two-mile stretch of water between Maisaka and Arai. The men in the smaller boat in the foreground would be the daimyo's servants; one of them may be seen yawning. The Arai station (far right) was an important stop during the Edo period as well as being one of the government's chief checkpoints.
Bibliography:
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/125651
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/370941
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/703108
https://catalog.freelibrary.org/Record/2030739
https://www.hiroshige.org.uk/Tokaido_Series/Tokaido_Great.htm
Creation Year: ca. 1833
Image Dimensions Width: 22.6 cm
Call Number: Woodblock Prints - The Fifty-three Stations of the T?kaid? Road
Creator Name: Hiroshige, Utagawa, 1797-1858 - Artist