ALLEN MEMORIAL ART MUSEUM 61 UtagawaHiroshige I 初代目歌川広重 (Japanese, 1797–1858) Ōmi: LakeBiwa and Ishiyama Temple, no. 22 fromthe series Pictures of Famous Places in the Sixty-oddProvinces, 1853 Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper MaryA. AinsworthBequest, 1950.1277 Although Autumn Moon at Ishiyama was one of the Eight Views of Ōmi, this print of Ishiyama Temple is not part of an Eight Views series, even though the migrating birds, distant sails, and broad vista recall elements of it. The print provides an aerial view of the shops, inns, and restaurants near the temple entrance on the banks of the Seta River, which flows south from Lake Biwa. The temple, situated on the mountain to the left, is not visible. Hiroshige’s Pictures of Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces was one of the artist’s last major landscape series, created between 1853 and 1856. It consists of prints depicting scenic views from across Japan, covering a much broader geographical range than his previous series. These prints helped popularize knowledge of Japan’s regional landmarks and natural wonders among Edo-period urbanites. UtagawaHiroshige I 初代目歌川広重 (Japanese, 1797–1858) TheBowandBowstringRoutes fromKusatsu to Yabase, no. 53 fromthe series Pictures of Famous Places of the Fifty-three Stations, also known as the Vertical Tōkaidō, 1855 Color woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper MaryA. AinsworthBequest, 1950.1377 Like Hiroshige’s Ōmi: Lake Biwa and Ishiyama Temple above, this subject is not on an Eight Views theme, but includes Yabase, featured in Returning Sails at Yabase, from the Eight Views of Ōmi series. The many sailing ships are a clear nod to the theme. In the foreground, ferries laden with goods and travelers are arriving and departing from the docks. The vastness of Lake Biwa is indicated by the curving diagonal line of ships, getting smaller and smaller in the distance. The print can offer modern viewers an insight into responsible environmental stewardship. People in Edo-period Japan made extensive use of natural resources like waterways and wind power for commerce and preserved the broader landscape by employing sustainable materials andmethods.
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