Sumidagawa, Cherry Blossom Viewing

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, 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

Cherry blossom viewing along the Sumida River was one of Edo's great springtime pleasures, drawing crowds to the embankment from Mukojima south to Azuma Bridge. Hiroshige's print captures the pale blooms reflected in the river's surface while pleasure boats ply the water and strollers fill the paths beneath the trees. The print likely belongs to an Edo Famous Places series depicting the capital's seasonal celebrations.