Hiroshige's Kanbara
Title: Kanbara
Artist: Ando Hiroshige (active ca. 1790-1823)
Series: The 53 Stations of the Tokaido (Kyoka series - each print has a comic poem or Kyoka)
Signature: Hiroshige ga
Dated: originally in Edo period (late 1830's), this is a re-carved edition in 1920's
Format: Chuban yoko-e
Width: 24.5 cm
Height: 18.5 cm
Ando Hiroshige was a master of capturing atmosphere and regional landscapes. This print from the "Kyoka Tokaido" series depicts the station of Kanbara during the day, featuring travellers on the road with the silhouette of a snow-capped mountain visible in the distance. Unlike his more somber snow-heavy scenes, this composition focuses on the movement of people through the post-town. The print includes a "kyoka" (comic poem) at the top, a hallmark of this series which combined Hiroshige's artistic vision with the witty, intellectual wordplay popular among the urban merchant class of the late Edo period.
