Utagawa Hiroshige, 'Teppozu and Tsukiji Monzeki' Woodblock Print, c. 1858

Story

Published in 1858, this print captured a rapidly vanishing Edo just before Japan opened to the West. Hiroshige used towering ship masts to frame Mount Fuji, a bold perspective trick that shocked and delighted 19th-century viewers.

Maker / Origin

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) was one of the last great masters of the ukiyo-e school, renowned for his poetic landscapes that captured the atmospheric moods of rain, snow, and twilight. Born into a samurai-class fire-warden family, he abandoned his hereditary post to pursue art, ultimately redefining how the world saw the Japanese landscape.

Condition & Value

The print appears to have trimmed margins, which is common for prints that were once bound or framed, and shows minor toning and soft handling creases consistent with age. The colors remain relatively vibrant, especially the deep Prussian blue (Aizuri-e) at the top and bottom borders.