Artwork preview

The Whirlpools of Awa

Utagawa Hiroshige

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A serene sea with light blue water and several small islands. The islands have brown rocky shores, some small trees on top, and are scattered throughout the image. The water features multiple swirling whirlpools, depicted in white curved lines. The background shows a distant shoreline with green and gray mountains. The sky appears yellowish, and there are several boats on the water. The image has a beige border around it, and there are several Japanese characters written vertically on the left and right sides. A red vertical banner with Japanese characters is on the right side. The image appears to be a triptych, with three panels joined together. The overall scene depicts a calm sea with whirlpools and distant mountains.

Artwork details

Date:
1857
Medium:
Triptych of woodblock prints; ink and color on paper
Culture:
Japan
Dimensions:
600 × 298 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette

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