100 Views of Edo # 56 Deluxe Edition by Ando Hiroshige

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

Woodblock Print Title: Mannen Bridge, Fukagawa (Fukagawa Mannenbashi), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: 1857

Size: Oban; 9 1/2" x 14" (24.2 x 35.5 cm)

Date of this edition: 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Partial trimming of the margin affecting the seals, else very fine.

Notes: Rare deluxe edition with Mica on the turtle's back area. Usually, this technique was reserved for good customer or prestigious people, as the technology was fairly new, expensive and difficult to master.

More about this print:This print suggests a visual and verbal play between the turtle as a conventional symbol of longevity in Chinese and Japanese lore and the name of the bridge, Mannen, which means "ten thousand years." The turtle may also refer to the bridge's location in the Fukagawa district, where turtles were bred for sale as pets. Moreover, it was a common custom in Edo for breeders of eels, carp, and turtles to offer their wares near bridges, for release into the rivers or canals below in hope of building up positive karma.

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.