100 Views of Edo #1 1st Edition by Ando Hiroshige

Additional Pictures: Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Print Title: Nihonbashi, Clearing After Snow (Nihonbashi yukibare), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: 1856

Size: Vertical oban; 35.9 x 24.6 cm (14 1/8 x 9 11/16 in.)

Date of this edition: 1856, 1st Edition

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Soiling, margin partially trimmed affecting the seals, mild fading, repaired lower left corner.

Notes: Very rare 1st edition of this print with 3 colors in the cartouche title.

More about this print: In the background, the perfect form of Mount Fuji, symbol of nature and the divine; at the right, Edo Castle, representing political power; and in the foreground, riverside scenes teeming with activity, emblematic of the common people. The snowy scene is cast in morning light, at the great Bridge of Japan, or Nihonbashi, from which distances to all parts of Japan were measured.

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.