100 Views of Edo # 5 Deluxe Edition by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Prints Title: Ryogoku Ekoin and Moto-Yanagibashi Bridge (Ryogoku Ekoin Moto-Yanagibashi), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: May 1857

Size: Vertical oban; 33.2 x 22.1 cm (13 1/16 x 8 11/16 in.)

Date of this edition: May 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Left and right margin trimmed and restored, mild color fading. Good overall condition.

Notes: This is an extremely rare Deluxe edition with Mica in the tree 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: Hiroshige has used an oblique vantage point to Mount Fuji to create a sense of excitement in an otherwise placid scene. The giant drum-tower at the left is the focus of the biannual sumo tournament on the grounds of the Buddhist temple of Ekōin.

The two white cloths suspended from the tower indicate that the weather this spring day is suitable for a sumo match. Devoted fans will have already assembled in the temple precincts below. All of these fans were men; women attended only occasional practice sessions.

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.