View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight

Date:: 1879 (Meiji 12)
Medium:: Woodblock print (nishiki-e): ink and color on paper
Format:: Oban
Dimensions:: 23 × 32.5 cm
Source:: Harvard Art Museums

Typical Price

Scarce early Meiji Tokyo scene or kosen-ga (light-picture) in excellent condition: $8,000–$30,000
Fine atmospheric night or light-ray scene: $2,000–$8,000
Good condition early Tokyo print: $500–$2,000

Description

Ushimachi in Takanawa — the cattle-market district along the old Tōkaidō road near modern Shinagawa station — is shown in this 1879 Meiji 12 [nishiki-e](/glossary/nishiki-e) under the light of a hazy (oboro) spring moon. The diffuse moonlight through spring mist created one of classical Japanese poetry's most cherished atmospheric conditions, and Kiyochika's treatment of the Takanawa district under such light links his Meiji landscape practice to the waka tradition that had mythologised this quality of moonlight for a thousand years. The print combines topographic specificity with lyric atmospheric precision.

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Featured in Collections

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Frequently Asked Questions

View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight was created by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親) in 1879 (Meiji 12).

View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight depicts landscapes, moonlight, and night scenes.

View of Ushimachi in Takanawa by Hazy Moonlight measures 23 × 32.5 cm (Oban format).