
Utagawa HiroshigeJapanese, 1797–1858May one see it?
Minneapolis, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
1856
He becomes a Buddhist monk
In 1856 Hiroshige “retired from the world”, becoming a Buddhist monk; this was the year he began his “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo”.
1856
Luxury editions with the publisher Uoya Eikichi
Working with the publisher Uoya Eikichi, Hiroshige created a series of luxury edition prints using the finest printing techniques: true gradation of color, mica for an iridescent effect, embossing, fabric printing, blind printing and glue printing.
1856–1858
One Hundred Views of Edo: a priest pays up front
His great “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo” was paid for up front by a wealthy Buddhist priest in love with the daughter of the publisher Uoya Eikichi, a former fishmonger. Hiroshige was usually poorly paid per series, yet he remained capable of remarkable art when the conditions were right.