Night View of the Matsuchiyama and Sam'ya Canal (Matsuchiyama San'yabori Yakei), No. 34 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Utagawa Hiroshige
Asian Art
While some perceive this scene as sinister and strange, others see it as suggestive and romantic. In the dark background, at the foot of the hill Matsuchiyama and flanking the San'ya Canal and the pillars of the Imado Bridge, are the alluring lights of two restaurants. Stars glitter in the sky above and are reflected in the water below. In the foreground, a geisha follows the bright lantern of her attendant along the embankment. Hers is one of the few full portraits in the series. Perhaps returning from a banquet at one of the restaurants, she is an intriguing figure against the sultry backdrop.
MEDIUM
Woodblock print
DATES
8th month of 1857
PERIOD
Edo Period, Ansei Era
DIMENSIONS
Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36 x 23.5 cm)
Image: 13 3/8 x 9 in. (34 x 22.8 cm) (show scale)
MARKINGS
No publisher's seal visible, probably lost when left edge was trimmed.
SIGNATURE
Hiroshige-ga
COLLECTIONS
Asian Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
30.1478.34
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Anna Ferris
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1930, provenance not yet documented; by 1930, acquired by Anna Ferris of Summit, NJ; 1930, gift of Anna Ferris to the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
One of the few full portraits of a geisha in this series. She follows the lantern of her attendant along the embankment of the Sumida River. The water reflects the stars and the sky. The San'ya Canal is the small inlet to the right, its entrance seen by the pillars of the Imado Bridge. On both sides of the bridge are two restaurants; on the right the Yumeiro (founded one year earlier) and the Takeya to the left. Small boats pass by the lights of the restaurants. The dark hill in the center, the "Matsuchiyama" has sexual connotations, having as the main object of worship in the Shoten shrine at its summit an Indian god in an entwined conjugal embrace. According to legend, the geisha shown here was a favorite of Hiroshige.
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797–1858). Night View of the Matsuchiyama and Sam'ya Canal (Matsuchiyama San'yabori Yakei), No. 34 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 8th month of 1857. Woodblock print, Sheet: 14 3/16 x 9 1/4 in. (36 x 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.34 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 30.1478.34_PS20.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 30.1478.34_PS20.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2023
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