Toeizan Temple

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Hiroshige's images of Edo life—temples, bridges, markets, and seasonal celebrations—are valuable historical documents as well as masterpieces of design.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

Toeizan Kaneiji, the great Tendai temple complex on the heights of Ueno, was the mortuary temple of the Tokugawa shoguns and one of Edo's most imposing religious institutions. Hiroshige's print shows the temple grounds with their wide approach, stone lanterns, and pagoda rising above the surrounding trees. The temple's hillside setting gave it a commanding presence over the lower city.