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.

Dawn Inside the Yoshiwara - Evocative view of the Yoshiwara at dawn in early spring, a rosy glow peeping above the horizon as the sun begins to rise. In his book, "One Hundred Famous Views of Edo," Braziller calls this "one of the most beautifully executed prints of the entire series." Teahouses extend into the distance beyond the gateway, shadowed in gray under the deep blue night sky as it transitions to morning. At left, a guest fastens a discreet hood over his face as he prepares to leave the quarters, a few beauties in the street behind him. The Yoshiwara's famous cherry trees are in bloom in the fenced gardens in the foreground, and a flush of green at the bottom hints at the full spring yet to come. A lovely design with fine bokashi shading.

Artist - Hiroshige (1797 - 1858)

Image Size - 13 1/4" x 8 5/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Slight thinning and paper remnants on reverse at left corners from previous mounting. A couple light creases and small paper remnant at edge. Please see photos for details. Good overall.