Hiroshige II | Bikuni Bridge in snow, 100 famous views of Edo
二代目歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige II (active 1826–1869)
名所江戸百景 比丘尼桥雪中
Bikuni Bridge in snow, from the series of One hundred famous views of Edo
1858
木版画 | 纵绘大判 | 37cm x 25.2cm
Woodblock-print | Oban tate-e | 37cm x 25.2cm
早期版次；颜色鲜艳；边缘完整；印章处有轻微补色
Very clean impression with rich color; full margins; tiny in-painting in the cartouche
SOLD
《名所江户百景》，是歌川广重于1856至1858年创作的竖版名所绘系列，为广重晚年乃至整个创作生涯中艺术水准最高的代表作之一。全系列包括目录在内共计119幅，以四季为主题，分为春夏秋冬四部。
本作分属于其中的冬之部，描绘曾位于今东京都中央区银座一丁目西北角的比丘尼桥周边风景。这一带离热闹繁华的日本桥稍远，毗邻宽阔的外护城河，独具一派别样的江户风情。晶莹的雪片飘飘洒洒，白色的世界中，几间店铺的大字招牌显得格外醒目。画面最左侧看板上的“山鲸”字样，是这家尾张屋的特色菜——野猪肉的隐语。江户时代，食用兽肉被认为是禁忌。为公开贩卖野猪肉，机智的店家便称呼其为“山鲸”，顾名思义即山中的鲸。由于当时的人们还认为鲸是鱼类，因此食用山中的“鱼”自然是不成问题。向前走几步，来到门前聚集着几条狗儿的“烤十三里”店，他家的烤红薯可是远近闻名。在日语中，“栗子”与“九里”同音，而“比”又与“四里”同音，“比栗子还要好吃”的红薯，自然就有了“四加九得十三”的“十三里”别名。桥前，一名着披蓑戴笠的小贩正挑着关东煮担子，准备过桥去前方人多的地方售卖。野味红薯关东煮，这些不那么上档次的吃食，在寒冷的雪天却是如此让人难以抗拒。光是听着它们的名字，心头都会不禁涌上一股暖流。
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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.