100 Views of Edo # 42 by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Print Title: Cherry Blossoms on the Tama River Embankment (Tamagawa-zutsumi no hana), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: February 1856

Size: Vertical oban; 35.5 x 24 cm (13 1/2 x 9 in.)

Date of this edition: 1856

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Trimmed to the margins, mild fading, else very fine.

Notes: The "Tama River," actually the Tama River Aqueduct, carried much of the drinking water for the city of Edo along a thirty-mile course. Hiroshige's springtime view vividly conveys a freshness and vitality befitting this lifeline. The cherry trees were planted along much of the embankment in the 1730s. The placement was not only aesthetic but also practical: the trees' roots strengthened the banks, and their petals and leaves were thought to possess anti toxic powers that kept the water pure.

Pictures: Pictures are taken outdoor, in the shade, to reflect true colors, without any enhancements of any kind. The last picture is taken indoor, with a light behind the print, to reveal the exact paper grain, holes if any, or other possible flaws.