100 Views of Edo # 62 by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Print Title: Komagata Hall and Azuma Bridge (Komagata-dô Azuma-bashi), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: January 1857

Size: Vertical oban; 36.5 x 25.1 cm (14 3/8 x 9 7/8 in.)

Date of this edition: 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Soiling, rubbing, mild fading, backed on edo era paper, repair near the flag area. Fair overall condition.

More about this print: It is the rainy season of the Fifth Month (June to early July), a time of overcast skies and persistent light rain. Against the subtle suggestion of rain, which is very difficult to achieve, two balanced images stand out against the sky: the red flag, a symbol of rouge (for this is the sign of a cosmetics dealer) and a small cuckoo known for its sharp cry, associated in poetry with dawn and with loneliness.

The placement of the cuckoo above Komakata Hall (seen here at the lower left) is no accident but a reference to a famous love poem by a Yoshiwara courtesan awaiting the return of her lover.

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.