100 Views of Edo # 69 by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Print Title: Hall of Thirty-Three Bays, Fukagawa (Fukagawa Sanjûsangendô), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: August 1857

Size: Vertical ôban; 35.7 x 24.5 cm (14 1/16 x 9 5/8 in.)

Date of this edition: August 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Very little remnants from prior mounting, else very fine. Excellent colors, impression and overall condition.

More about this Print: The Hall of Thirty-Three Bays was under the jurisdiction of Eitaiji Temple, whose garden was the subject of the previous print. This view from behind the elongated hall is a skillful expression of the use of the long rear veranda as an archery range. A shooting trial seems to be underway, with the contestants expected to shoot the arrows so that they stayed within the confines of the veranda, clearing the length of the building without hitting any part of it. Shooting speed was as important as accuracy.

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.