Hiroshige II | Snow on the Kiso Gorge in Shinano Province, 100 views of Famous Places in the Provinces
二代目歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige II (active 1826–1869)
诸国名所百景 信州木曾之雪
Snow on the Kiso Gorge in Shinano Province, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces
1859
木版画 | 纵绘大判 | 36.5cm x 25cm
Woodblock-print | Oban tate-e | 36.5cm x 25cm
早期版次；颜色鲜艳；品相非常好；边缘完整
Fine impression, color and condition; full margin
$6,000
The Kiso River winds deeply in the mountain valleys. Along it, travelers make the arduous inland journey between Edo and Kyoto. In the winters, the snow comes heavy for days on end.
Hiroshige II has perhaps exaggerated the sheer walls of the cliffs on either side at this narrow point of the winding Kiso, as well as the treacherousness of the path above it, but the effect is powerful – this is one of the artist’s finest designs from what is generally considered his greatest series, “100 Views of the Provinces.” The cold-in-the-bones feeling of deep winter solitude is palpable.
Hiroshige II took the master’s name after marrying his daughter. He was one of his few students, and, soon after Hiroshige’s death, he embarked on this ambitious series. Many consider it a sequel of sorts to his teacher’s acclaimed “100 Famous Views of Edo,” and it’s easy to see why. These oban tate-e designs are often compositionally bold, and the arrangement and pigmentation of the cartouches – often complete with elaborate bokashi – echo those of the earlier series, especially the deluxe edition. Moreover, they had the same publisher, Sakanaya Eikichi.
This example has all the wonderful touches for which this series is renowned. Graceful bokashi gives the mountainsides, the rushing water and the skies depth and distance, while the cheerful pink of the cartouche – a pigment that often fades but is very strong here – contrasts with the otherwise somber palette.
The lone figure making his journey, so close to the edge, alone amid all of nature’s power, adds a touch of determined humanity to this deep winter scene.
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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. (On occasion his people look sadly like stick figures.)
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.