Hiroshige

Orient Expressed. The master of Japanese ukiyo-e

Hiroshige was one of the last great artists of ukiyo-e, the woodblock print genre that flourished between the 17th and 19th century and did much to determine the world’s visual concept of Japan. This dependable introduction leads you through the blossoming cherry trees, beautiful women, and dramatic ocean views that made Hiroshige a household name and became exemplary of Japonisme.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) was one of the last great artists in the ukiyo-e tradition. Literally meaning “pictures of the floating world,” ukiyo-e was a particular woodblock print genre of art that flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries. Subjects ranged from the bright lights and attractions of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), to spectacular natural landscapes.

In the West, Hiroshige’s prints became exemplary of the Japonisme that swept through Europe and defined the Western world’s visual idea of Japan. Because they could be mass produced, ukiyo-e works were often used as designs for fans, greeting cards, and book illustrations. The style influenced Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and Art Nouveau artists alike, with Vincent van Gogh and James Abbott McNeill Whistler both particularly inspired by Hiroshige’s landscapes.

This introductory book presents key images from Hiroshige’s vibrant, vivid portfolio of blooming cherry trees, beautiful women, Kabuki actors, and busy shopping streets to introduce one of the greats of Asian art history.

The author:

Adele Schlombs studied Sinology, East Asian art history, European art history, and comparative religious studies at Cologne and Heidelberg Universities. From 1984 to 1987 she studied at Kyoto University and gained her doctorate in 1989 at Heidelberg University. In 1991, she took over the directorship of the Museum of East Asian Art in Cologne and since then she has organized numerous loan exhibitions of Japanese and Chinese art.

About the series:

Each book in TASCHEN's Basic Art series features:

- a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance
- a concise biography
- approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions