Evening Glow at Ryogoku

Catalog note / 解説

The presence of Mount Fuji in the left-hand corner of this <i>uchiwa-e</i> (rigid fan print) design by Hiroshige indicates that we are looking south-west across the span of the Sumida river. On the far shore, framed between the prow and the roof of the pleasure boat in the foreground, is the Motoyanagi Bridge and the willow tree growing at its northern end. The name of the boat, the <i>Utagawa-maru</i>, that appears on both the plaque and the prow is written with the same characters as the ‘Utagawa’ of Hiroshige’s name. The small characters on the boat in the middle of the river read <i>oatari / mizugashi</i>, meaning 'highly acclaimed / fruit for sale'. The design is one of a complete set…