The Drum Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine by Katsushika Hokusai

The Drum Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine c. 1834

print, ink, color-on-paper

landscape illustration sketch

aged paper

water colours

print

japan

personal sketchbook

ink

color-on-paper

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

storyboard and sketchbook work

cartoon carciture

botanical art

watercolor

"The Drum Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine" is a woodblock print by famed Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, dating back to c. 1834. This ukiyo-e print depicts the iconic Drum Bridge, a curved wooden bridge spanning a small body of water. The scene captures the bridge's beauty with intricate detail, showcasing the elegant structure and the people traversing it. Hokusai's signature blue and white color scheme adds a sense of serenity to the scene, emphasizing the calming nature of this revered landmark.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Whereas Hokusai’s series on waterfalls may have sprung from a Japanese reverence for natural phenomena, his series on bridges is a cataloguing of different bridge types, from temporary examples to solidly built, permanent structures. Most of the bridges in the series actually existed, but some were legendary and known to Hokusai through literature and folklore. A set of twelve prints likely was intended, although only eleven are known. Two are on view here. This bridge is one of two dramatic “drum” bridges at Kameido Tenjin Shrine in Edo. Probably inspired by Chinese “moon” bridges, they were dubbed taiko (drum) bridges. The half-circle form made a full circle when reflected in the water, suggesting the shape of a round drum. By showing the bridge from an oblique viewpoint, Hokusai cleverly revealed the topside planking and also the underside and the support pilings.