Hiroshige | Seki, from the 53 Stations of the Tokaido
歌川広重 Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)
东海道五十三次之内 关 本阵早立
Seki, from The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido
1833-34
木版画 | 横绘大判 | 24.5cm x 36.5cm
Woodblock-print | Oban yoko -e | 24.5cm x 36.5cm
早期版次；颜色保存非常好；有轻微污渍
Early impression; fine color; very minor soiling
$6,000
关，即关宿，位于今日本三重县龟山市，是东海道五十三次中的第四十七处宿场，因其临近伊势铃鹿关而得名。
由于江户时代幕府实行的参觐交代制度，各藩的大名都需要前往江户替幕府将军执行政务一段时间，然后再返回自己的领地。对于身居偏远地区的大名们而言，江户城可谓水远山遥，一路的长途跋涉也总得有能稍作歇息的地方。于是乎，宿场内的本阵应运而生。它们通常由指定专人管辖，原则上只对大名、幕府官员等身份高者开放，与纯商业性质的旅馆客栈有着本质区别。
天色尚且昏暗，东方还未破晓。关宿的某处本阵内，这支浩浩荡荡的大名队伍已经开始整理行装，准备踏上一天的旅途。
侍从们有的正扎紧斗笠系带，一脸平静，有的则一切就绪，蹲在地上掏出烟管猛吸两口提神。驾笼已经安置好，长枪靠在房檐上，红灯笼中的灯火悠悠闪烁，一切都在静候着大名动身启程。
值得一提的是，远景那位靠近木门的侍从手中所持的灯笼图案，正是代表广重名字的“ヒロ”（广）字；而幔幕上的巨大家纹，其实是广重的原父系姓氏田中的“田”字与“中”字及牛车车轮图案组合变形的图样。种种巧思，有如电影中的彩蛋，颇为有趣。
Hiroshige’s “53 Stations of the Tokaido” – also known as the Hōeidō Tokaido or “Grand Tokaido” — revolutionized the landscape genre in Japanese woodblock prints. Here is a fascinating design that, rather than focusing on a specific sight or landmark, poetically evokes the daily rhythms and traditions of life on the fabled sea road.
It is just before dawn at Seki, the 48th Station, and for the traveler coming from Edo, the goal of Kyoto is just a day or two away. One can almost hear the birds starting to chirp as the sky lightens and the retinue of a daimyo, or lord, prepares to depart. Seki was a major checkpoint and thus had two honjin, or inns for government officials. The daimyo’s crest adorns the curtains that are festooned from the eaves, and the man himself is just about to appear from within. The daiymo’s palanquin, a heavy carriage carried by two men, sits on the inn’s porch while one of its bearers straps on his straw hat in anticipation of what will surely be a grueling effort.
Wonderfully echoing the two sheathed spears leaning against the building to the left is, to the right, a notice board alerting the populace to the latest news and dictates from Edo. Hiroshige pierces the frame with it, a lovely touch.
The scholar Muneshige Narazaki, in his trenchant study of this landmark Ukiyoe series, noted that because of its importance, Seki had many prostitutes. One hopes they are still asleep, getting a little rest, while this party sets out.
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Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)
Ando Hiroshige (1897-1858) revolutionized the art of landscape prints during the Edo era, building on the success of his senior, Hokusai, but taking a more poetic and naturalist approach to portraying the beauty of Japan.
The son of a low-level Samurai assigned to the fire brigade in Edo, Hiroshige became a student of the Utagawa school as a young man. His first prints focused on beautiful women (bijin), and views of Edo. But in 1833 he began work on his most famous early work, his first series depicting the Tokaido, the "Great Sea Road" between Edo and Tokyo.
Today there is some controversy about this series. Initially, it was believed that Hiroshige had travelled the route along with a local lord (Daimyo) who was making a gift of horses to the Emperor. But more recent scholarship suggests Hiroshige never travelled the road himself, at least not the entire way, and made his designs using published guidebooks.
Nonetheless, the prints were wonderful and revolutionary. They embraced the seasons with a gentle lyricism missing from Hokusai's striking but stylized depictions. In Hiroshige's work, nature is sacred -- but it is always mixed with humanity, with travelers or little inns or bridges. There is a magical harmony between man and the elements.
His depiction of the seasons and weather is especially evocative. Snow blankets some views with a hushed silence, while rain streaks down furiously in others. In some prints natured is agitated; in others, calm prevails. Produced in a horizontal oban yoko-e format, the series was a smash hit.
The Tokaido series made Hiroshige famous, and he became incredible prolific. In the 1840s he produced many strong designs, but many mediocre ones, too, including several subsequent Tokaido series of varying quality.
In 1853, however, he made a big step. He turned his landscapes sideways, embracing a bold vertical oban tate-e format. This gave his designs new energy and a modern feel. The first of these was Famous Views of the Sixty-Odd Provinces. From them on, most of his most noted series were executed in this format.
He saved his greatest for his last. In 1856 he began work on 100 Famous Views of Edo, which many consider his most exceptional work. Here his home city was portrayed with energy and passion, and in these 119 designs he created an incredible record of a vanished place. In addition to the striking vertical format, he developed exciting new compositions, often juxtaposing a strong foreground element with a distant background.
Among the many famous images in this series are Squall at Ohashi and the Plum Garden in Komeido. Both of these were copied by Vincent Van Gogh, a great admirer of Hiroshige. Thus, the great Japanese artist had a profound effect on Western art.
Alas, his beloved Edo ended his life. Hiroshige was claimed by a cholera epidemic that swept the city in 1958. His pupil Shigenobu, who took the name Hiroshige II, completed The Famous Views of Edo.