Clearing Skies at Ochanomizu

Catalog note / 解説

The blustery scene depicted in this <i>uchiwa-e</i> (rigid fan print) design by Hiroshige is set on the high ground immediately to the north of the Kanda river on the south-west edge of Edo's Hongo district. The aqueduct on the lower left carried water from the Kanda Water Supply to Edo Castle and the central parts of the city to the east. The geometry of Mount Fuji, visible on the horizon to the south-west, is echoed in the slant of the lines that mark the boundaries of the passing storm. The design is one of a complete set of eight prints owned by the V&A. The Hakkei ('Eight Views') formula was a popular one, having its ultimate source in Chinese paintings of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. It…