Yoshiwara 1841 - 1842

Utagawa Hiroshige made this woodblock print, called Yoshiwara, in nineteenth-century Japan. Hiroshige’s image shares an intimate view of a bustling roadside scene. This print is from a series called "Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido," which depicts everyday life along the Tokaido Road, the main route between Kyoto and Edo, now Tokyo. By focusing on the lives of common people, Hiroshige’s print broke from earlier traditions of Japanese art. The print also reveals the influence of Western art on Japanese art during this time. The artist uses linear perspective, creating the impression of depth. The muted colors and simplified forms also reflect the artist's awareness of developments in European painting. We historians can consult a range of sources—travel journals, government records, and even other artworks—to understand this image in all its complexity. We can appreciate its artistic innovations while also reflecting on its role as a window into a specific moment in Japanese history.