Artwork preview

Kuwana, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road

Utagawa Hiroshige

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Colorful woodblock print depicts a lively scene of people in a marketplace or shopping street. The scene is set within and around a long, low building with a tiled roof. The building's exterior wall on the right side has a large open gate with a tiled roof. The interior and exterior spaces are filled with people engaged in various activities. Some people are standing or sitting at wooden benches and tables. There are several yellow and red vertical and horizontal banners with Japanese writing hanging on the walls and from the roof. A man on the left carries a large object wrapped in a blue and yellow cloth. A boat with people is in the foreground on the bottom right. The background shows a continuation of the building. The overall color palette includes shades of blue, red, yellow, brown, and green. The composition is busy, with many figures and details throughout.

Artwork Details

Date
early 20th century
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
599 × 459 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette