One c. 1850 - 1851

print, ink, color-on-paper

water colours

print

japan

handmade artwork painting

paste-up

ink

color-on-paper

wedding around the world

coffee painting

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

cartoon carciture

watercolor

watercolur painting

"One" (c. 1850–51) is a woodblock print by renowned Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige. This vibrant work depicts a bustling scene of daily life in Edo (modern-day Tokyo), likely at the Nihonbashi Bridge. Hiroshige's meticulous detail and use of vivid color capture the movement of people, boats, and goods, showcasing the dynamic energy of the city. "One" is a prime example of ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese art that flourished in the 17th to 19th centuries, focusing on the beauty of everyday life and transient pleasures.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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For this view of Nihonbashi Bridge and the surrounding area, Hiroshige pictured a view from the northeast. By using a bird's eye perspective, he was able to clearly show the people crossing the bridge. The men carrying shallow wooden buckets suspended from shoulder poles are fishmongers who have visited the fish market located at the east end of the bridge, just beyond the picture's lower edge. At the lower right are two men carrying a sake cask emblazoned with the trademark of a famous brewer in Osaka. There are also women, shop boys (carrying a small bundle on their back), as well as a group of samurai followed by a porter and a standard-bearer. Depicting twenty-seven people from all walks of life, the print shows the great diversity of the thriving metropolis.