100 Views of Edo # 53 Deluxe Edition by Ando Hiroshige

Artist: Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1787-1858)

Woodblock Prints Title: 100 Views of Edo #53: Zôjô-ji Pagoda and Akabane (Zôjô-ji tô, Akabane), from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)

1st Publication: January 1857

Size: 13-1/4 x 8-5/8 + Margins as shown

Date of this edition: January 1857

Publisher: Uoya Eikichi

Condition: Left margin trimmed, affecting the seals. Yellow color faded, converting the green to blue. A loss in the upper margin. Very good impression, fair overall condition

Notes: Original early edition by Uoya in 1857. This is one of the extremely rare deluxe edition, with mica in the roof top area, as you can see on the additional picture section. 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: The Zōjōji Pagoda was part of the mausoleum of the second shogun, Hidetada. It lay at the southern edge of a hill above the tomb itself. Hiroshige chooses to show only the pagoda's top two stories, painted a splendid red. The dense mass of evergreens pressing close around the building was believed to protect against fire.

The six vertical banners rising behind the stylized cloud in the center signify the famous Suitengō Shrine, known for assuring safe births. The area became crowded on the fifth day of each month, when the shrine was opened to the public. The view is to the southwest with Akabane Bridge spanning the Furukawa River in the center.

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.