Evening on the Hacchöbori

Catalog note / 解説

Hacchö Embankment is located near Kumagaya station on the Kiso Highway, which connects modern Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. This print portrays three figures in the foreground, with travelers on a crowded road in the background, and a building (possibly an inn) visible on the far right. Kuniyoshi uses Western perspective in a rather exaggerated way to contrast the enlarged figures in the front with the smaller silhouettes behind them. This contrast is further heightened by the use of outlines for the foreground elements and un-outlined shapes for the background. The three women are dressed in summer kimono with various patterns, enjoying the cool evening breeze as it moves through the grass.…