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.

Exceptionally Fine Taisho Era (1912 – 1926) Reprint Series –  Hiroshige’s 100 Edo series was rarely reprinted complete making many designs extremely difficult to find. This early reprint set is beautifully done; the prints are virtually identical to Edo era originals. Unlike later reprints, the paper and inks are from the Edo tradition. Beautiful old reprints like these are excellent for display as they are indiscernible from originals when framed.

Horikiri Iris Garden - Beautiful view of the iris garden in the village of Horikiri. Gardeners at Horikiri grew flowers all year round for the market in Edo, but they were most famous for the special variety of iris shown here, called "hanashobu," which grew well in the swampy land around the community. Hiroshige presents three beautifully detailed blossoms in the foreground, framing a view of the iris field in the distance along the water's edge. A few visitors admire the blossoms, making their way through the rich foliage. An exquisite design with lovely color and fine bokashi shading. A favorite from the series.

Artist - Hiroshige (1797 - 1858)

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

Condition - With excellent color and detail. Slight toning, a few small spots. Please see photos for details.