Japanese white-eye on flowering branch

Date:: 1830s–1840s
Medium:: Color woodblock print; yotsugiriban
Format:: Oban
Source:

Typical Price

Later reprint (Meiji–Taisho era publishers): $50–$400
Good later impression (Edo-period, faded pigments): $1,000–$5,000
Good early impression (vivid color, sensitive observation): $5,000–$20,000
Fine early impression (exceptional freshness and condition): $20,000–$50,000

Hiroshige's bird-and-flower prints (kacho-e) were enormously popular during his lifetime. Typically in vertical chuban or koban format, they represent the most accessible entry point for collectors of Hiroshige's work. Fine impressions retain remarkable freshness of color.

Description

"Japanese white-eye on flowering branch" is a [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) nature study by Utagawa Hiroshige, created during the late Edo period. This work belongs to the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) (bird-and-flower) tradition, one of the most celebrated genres in Japanese art.

Utagawa Hiroshige brings characteristic sensitivity to this naturalistic subject, combining precise observation with poetic atmosphere. The composition balances the living subjects with their environment, creating a scene that feels both scientifically accurate and emotionally resonant.

The technical execution reveals the sophisticated printmaking tradition behind this image — from the precise registration of multiple color blocks to the subtle gradations that give depth and luminosity to the natural subjects.

This print represents Utagawa Hiroshige's contribution to the ukiyo-e tradition during the late Edo period. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.