Maker(s): Utagawa Hiroshige II (Shigenobu)
Culture: Japanese (1826-1869)
Title: Ise Futami ga ura [Futami ga ura in Ise Province], from the series Shokoku meisho hyakkei [One Hundred Famous Views in the Various Provinces]
Date Made: 1859
Type: Print
Materials: Woodblock print (woodcut); Nishiki-e, Ink and color on paper
Place Made: Asia; Japan
Measurements: Mat: 18 in x 14 1/4 in; 45.7 cm x 36.2 cm; Sheet: 13 5/8 in x 9 1/4 in; 34.6 cm x 23.5 cm; Image: 13 1/4 in x 8 3/4 in; 33.7 cm x 22.2 cm
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Louis C. Black
Utagawa Hiroshige II, also known as Shigenobu, was the adoptive son of Utagawa Hiroshige and was also successful in creating enchanting landscapes in ukiyo-e. Deep, saturated colors in a variety of gem-like hues shade the natural elements of this print. Shigenobu uses gradation to add subtly to each color, which allows for an enhanced perception of the scene. Ground up mica, a common mineral, is used to create a shimmering effect on the peaks of the waves in the foreground and in the green sections of the hills on the right. One-point perspective, a technique from western art, is also employed by Shigenobu to create spacial depth and a sense of the vast, expansive ocean laid out before the viewer.