100 Views of Edo #11 by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Prints Title: Kiyomizu Hall and Shinobazu Pond at Ueno (Ueno Kiyomizudô Shinobazu no ike), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: April 1856

Size: Vertical ôban; 34.3 x 22.7 cm (13 1/2 x 8 15/16 in.)

Date of this edition: April 1856

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Left margin trimmed affecting the seals, some partial color fading, remnants from prior mounting (glue from tape), a restored wormhole in the upper margin. Good overall condition.

More about this print: Kiyomizu Hall in Ueno Park was founded in 1631 as part of an ambitious plan to establish a great Buddhist temple complex in Edo and to provide spiritual defense from the northeast, the direction from which evil spirits were thought to come. The hall is celebrated for the cherry blossoms in its vicinity and the view it offers. However, even in Hiroshige's day the actual panorama was less spectacular than is suggested by this print, which exaggerates the width of the veranda extending out from the temple and shows the pine trees as towering giants.

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.