Hiroshige II | Hashiba Ferry in Snow, The Pride of Edo, Thirty-six Scenes
二代目歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige II (active 1826–1869)
江户自慢三十六兴 桥场雪中
Hashiba Ferry in Snow, from the series The Pride of Edo, Thirty-six Scenes
1862
木版画 | 纵绘大判 | 36cm x 25cm
Woodblock-print | Oban tate-e | 36cm x 25cm
非常早期的版次带有漂亮的木纹；轻微褪色
Early impression with beautiful wood grains; slight fading
SOLD
所谓“江户自慢三十六兴”，其实就是指江户城中三十六处值得夸耀的风景名胜。这幅桥场雪中，自然也是值得我们来夸耀一番的。桥场，如今位于东京台东区东北部，在1913年前，这儿一直是隅田川最古老的渡口所在地。这样一来，也就不奇怪为什么画家会以摆渡为题材作画了。画面的三分之二都被宝蓝的水面所占，在这广阔的水面上，驶入了一艘小舟。船头的摆渡人除了标配着蓑衣、斗笠、草鞋三件套，还披上了一身银装，缓缓撑篙驶向对岸；船中的两位女子撑着油纸伞，从坐着的姑娘用头巾把自己裹得仅露眼鼻来看，她们想必都冻得不轻。不过好在彼岸就在目力所及的前方，用不了多久就能上岸，回屋喝上一碗热茶了。岸上已然是白茫茫一片，天上的雪却丝毫没有要停的意思。我们的摆渡人送完这一程后，是会歇脚稍作停留，还是会抖落霜雪，继续投身下一轮旅程呢？这一切，就留给各位观众去遐想吧。
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Utagawa Hiroshige II (active 1826-1869)
Born Chinpei Suzuki in 1826, Hiroshige II was given the name of Shigenobu after becoming one of Hiroshige’s very few students. In his career he hewed so closely to the master’s style, focusing on landscapes and the romantic interactions between human beings and the natural world, that it’s hard to determine whether he had a style of his own. He had a firm grasp of composition and color, yes, but the quality of his lines didn’t always match that of his teacher.
He took the name Hiroshige II after marrying Hiroshige’s 16-year-old daughter, Otatsu. He even completed his father-in-law’s final series – at least one, and possibly two, prints in “100 Famous Views of Edo” are attributed to Hiroshige II, done presumably after Hiroshige’s death in 1858.
But Hiroshige II produced some memorable works of his own, especially in the magnificent, “100 Famous Views of the Provinces” which he designed between 1859 and 1862. This includes “Kintai Bridge at Iwakuni in Suo Province,” which shows this legendary bridge of stone spans slashing across the paper on a left-to-right downward diagonal, a mirror of Hiroshige’s famed “Squall at Ohashi.”
During the time this series was produced, woodblock printing technology reached its zenith, and the printing quality of some of his prints is extraordinary. The “Deluxe” editions of these include wonderfully elaborate cartouches.
In the 1860s Hiroshige II was extremely prolific, including contributing to the “Processional Tokaido” with practically every other major Ukiyo-e artist of the day. Other series of varying quality focused on Edo and its environs. He was, like his teacher, especially adept at rain and snow scenes – some of his rain views, such as in “Eight Views of the Sumida River” in 1861, give a sense of a sudden downpour that is perhaps even more palpable than those of Hiroshige’s.
As this was just at the time of the “opening” of Japan, many of these prints are notable for the glimpses of western culture they provide, including ominous “Black Ships” riding at anchor, and Western men with giant noses, bushy eyebrows and ridiculous mustaches and beards, which the Japanese of the time must have found fascinating – amusing? – indeed.
Alas, things didn’t work out too well for our friend Hiroshige II. He and Otatsu divorced and he fell into alcoholism. He was last known to earn a meagre sum by decorating lanterns, kites and tea chests.
As for Otatsu, well, she married another painter and student of her late father’s named Goto Torakichi, who became Hiroshige III.
One woman, two Hiroshiges. Honestly, I’d like to know more about her – she sounds like a real number.