#17. Sumidagawa

Sumida River

Medium:: Woodblock print
Format:: Oban
Source:: Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

Typical Price

Later reprint (Meiji–Taisho era publishers): $100–$600
Good later impression (Edo-period, worn blocks): $3,000–$12,000
Good early impression (vivid bokashi, crisp key lines): $12,000–$40,000
Fine early impression (exceptional color freshness and condition): $40,000–$100,000

From Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856–58), a 118-print series of vertical oban landscapes and genre scenes that defined the visual image of Edo for generations. A complete set sold for $405,400 at Sotheby's Online Jul 2024.

Description

The Sumida River, Edo's great eastern waterway, served as the city's main artery for freight and pleasure travel. This numbered view depicts a stretch of the river — likely the broad reach near Asakusa or Ryogoku — with boats, embankment life, and the flat landscape of the eastern city visible across the water. The Sumida was a recurring subject in Hiroshige's Edo series throughout his career.