This lot contains a Japanese Woodblock Print
Maisaka, The Fifty-three Stations Of The Tokaido By Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858) (After). Hiroshige Ando was born in 1797 as Ando Tokutaro In Tokyo Japan. In 1811, he joined the renowned Utagawa painting school led by the ukiyo-e (Japanese woodblock prints) Master Toyohiro Utagawa. In 1812, he was granted the name Utagawa and began identifying himself as Utagawa Hiroshige. In ukiyo-e literature, he is commonly known as Hiroshige Ando. In 1832, Bakufu (the feudal government of Japan) appointed him to accompany an official procession from Edo to Kyoto along the Tokaido road (the Tokaido was a coastal highway that linked Edo to Kyoto, the emperor’s residence). Along the journeys, Hiroshige created sketches that resulted in the final production of his acclaimed series,
Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road. This journey allowed Hiroshige to travel and sketch landscapes from life rather than imagination, which was rare during the Edo period. It is stated that "If not for his appointment by the government, this kind of journey would have been near impossible." This series gained substantial commercial success. Hiroshige continued to produce prints up until his death at the age of 62 in 1858. The woodblock print is approx 10 1/4" x 15 1/4" and it weighs about 1.3oz. Overall the woodblock print is in good used condition with some wear from use over time. There are two rips one in the top and the other in the top right corner as shown in the images. There are some very light minor stains and discoloration due to aging. Please reference all of the photographs as they are a part of the description.
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