#19. Matsuchiyama

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

Matsuchiyama, a low hill in the Asakusa district of Edo, was home to the Shoten shrine and offered panoramic views over the Sumida River. This print depicts the landmark as part of a numbered survey of Edo sights, showing the hill's distinctive profile rising above the surrounding flatlands and waterways. The location was particularly popular for cherry blossom viewing in spring.