BUZEN Province Utagawa Hiroshige Japanese Woodblock Framed Art Print 18×15. PROVINCE DE BUZEN, LES SOUTERRAINS DU RAKAN-JI (The Passage Under the Rakan Monastery, Buzen Province) It is a very beautiful re-print of the original. This is one in a series of 69 prints. As of this listing, I have 35 of them, all professionally framed in a brushed silver toned frame and matted in black They all came from the same Estate in Louisville, KY. All are in excellent condition and any one or all of them would add greatly to your Asian art collection. The last 5 pictures are from one of these that had a damaged back. I deconstructed it so you could see all the layers and materials involved. Monastery, Buzen Province” by Utagawa Hiroshige, part of the series “Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces. Key information about the print. Series: “Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces” (Rokujuyoshu Meisho Zue). Date: Published between 1853 and 1856. This specific print is from 1854. Subject: Depicts the Rakan Monastery in Buzen Province (present-day Fukuoka and Oita Prefectures). It focuses on the caves at the cliff base, with pilgrims visible in the openings. Style: Vertical format, characteristic of the series, allowing for foreground and background contrasts. Technique: Woodblock print (ukiyo-e) with bokashi shading to add depth. Location: Rakan Temple is a Zen Buddhist site dating back to the 13th century. Inspiration: Hiroshige likely drew inspiration from travel guides and possibly Hokusai’s sketches, rather than visiting every location himself. Born in Edo as Tokutaro Ando, Hiroshige Utagawa grew up in a minor samurai family. His father belonged to the firefighting force assigned to Edo Castle. It is here that Hiroshige was given his first exposure to art: legend has it that a fellow fireman tutored him in the Kano school of painting, though Hiroshige’s first official teacher was Rinsai. Though Hiroshige tried to join Toyokuni Utagawa’s studio, he was turned away. In 1811, young Hiroshige entered an apprenticeship with the celebrated Toyohiro Utagawa. After only a year, he was bestowed with the artist name Hiroshige. He soon gave up his role in the fire department to focus entirely on painting and print design. During this time he studied painting, intrigued by the Shijo school. Hiroshige’s artistic genius went largely unnoticed until 1832. With the Tokugawa Shogunate relaxing centuries of age-old restrictions on travel, urban populations embraced travel art and Hiroshige Utagawa became one of the most prominent and successful ukiyo-e artists. He also produced kacho-e (bird-and-flower pictures) to enormous success. In 1858, at the age of 61, he passed away as a result of the Edo cholera epidemic. Hiroshige Utagawa’s woodblock prints continue to convey the beauty of Japan and provide insight into the everyday life of its citizens during the Edo period. The appeal of his tender, lyrical landscapes was not restricted to the Japanese audience. Hiroshige’s work had a profound influence on the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists of Europe: Toulouse-Lautrec was fascinated with Hiroshige’s daring diagonal compositions and inventive use of perspective, while Van Gogh literally copied two of Hiroshige’s prints from the famous series, 100 Famous Views of Edo in oil paint. Hiroshige (1797 – 1858). Mimasaka Province, Yamabushi Valley. Series: Famous Places in the 60-odd Provinces. Size (H x W): 14.5 x 10.75 (inches). Publisher: Koshimuraya Heisuke (Koshihei). Seals: Date and Aratame. Condition: Very good color and impression, light soiling and wear, embellished with mica.