Nihonbashi #1

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

Typical Price

Later reprint (Meiji–Taisho era publishers): $50–$400
Good later impression (Edo-period): $1,500–$6,000
Good early impression (vivid color and detail): $6,000–$25,000
Fine early impression (exceptional condition and freshness): $25,000–$70,000

Hiroshige's images of Edo life—temples, bridges, markets, and seasonal celebrations—are valuable historical documents as well as masterpieces of design. His depictions of the city he loved made him the preeminent chronicler of Edo culture in prints.

Description

Nihonbashi — "Japan Bridge" — was the ceremonial starting point of the five great highways of Edo, including the Tokaido. This urban view depicts the bridge and the commercial district surrounding it, bustling with fish sellers, merchants, and travelers. Hiroshige returned to Nihonbashi repeatedly across his career, capturing the heart of Edo's merchant city in different seasons and times of day.