One Hundred Famous Views of Edo - In 1856, Hiroshige began designing what was to be his last great series and a masterpiece, "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo." The series contains 118 vertical format woodblocks of classic Hiroshige landscapes. From spring cherry blossoms to summer fireworks, from quiet scenes along the river to lively festival celebrations, Hiroshige captures life in old Edo in dramatic and interesting ways. Hiroshige employed an inventive compositional technique in many of the prints, using large foreground elements to frame a distant view in the background, such as the image of Kinryuzan Temple seen through the doorway of the famous Thunder Gate. Beautifully printed with fine bokashi shading, "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo" retains its popularity today as one of Hiroshige's great masterworks, and includes some of his most memorable images.

Ryogoku Ekoin and Moto-Yanagibashi Bridge - Terrific early spring view of the Sumida River and the Moto-Yanagibashi Bridge that lies beyond. Cargo ships travel south along the water before dawn, carrying goods to the morning markets. In the foreground, a giant drum tower rises above the Buddhist temple of Ekoin, the white cloth indicating good weather for the sumo match that was held on the grounds twice a year. The snow-covered peak of Mt. Fuji rises in the distance above the rosy skyline. A handsome design, attractively colored and shaded.

Artist - Hiroshige (1797 - 1858)

Image Size - 13 1/14" x 8 5/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Losses at top corners, a few small holes. Faint toning, slight soiling and creasing. Please see photos for details. Good overall.