Opening of the Ryögoku River

Catalog note / 解説

In this print Hiroshige again depicts the seasonal event of the “opening” of the Ryögoku River, which begins with a fireworks festival. The focus of the print is a courtesan wearing a beautiful kimono on a pleasure boat, one of the many sights people flocked to the river to see. The Ryögoku Bridge appears in the background, with a crowd of people gathered to watch the fireworks. Ukiyo-e artists often were engaged to design prints that would be made into fans, an essential summer accoutrement. Since fans were constructed for short-term use, not many woodblock-printed fans survive. However, not all images designed for fans ultimately were used for that purpose, and this print was perhaps enjo…