100 Views of Edo # 74 by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Print Title: Silk-goods Lane, Ôdenma-chô (Ôdenma-chô gofukudana), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: July 1858

Size: 13 1/4 x 8 5/8 + Margin as shown (33.6 x 22.2 cm + margins as shown)

Date of this edition: July 1858

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Trimmed to the margin, fading, very mild soiling/

More about this Print: Here we see a boisterous procession of carpenters, among the most powerful artisans in Edo, a city built of wood. To the left is the great dry-goods house of Daimaru, in the prosperous district of Ōdenma-chō, suggesting the interlocked fortunes of Edo merchants and Edo builders. The shop sign to the upper left bears the slogan "Cash payment, prices as marked." This practice, established in Japan as early as 1683, broke down the traditional class-based relationships between seller and buyer, making all customers equal.

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.