Hiroshige and Ukiyo-e

Hiroshige Utagawa and Hiroshige Utagawa II were two Ukiyo-e artists in the Edo period. Hiroshige Utagawa created a famous series of works called One Hundred Famous Views of Edo while Hiroshige Utagawa II created many works based on the One Hundred Famous Views series. In this paper, it is discussed what Ukiyo-e woodblock prints are, as well as Hiroshige Utagawa’s life and his works. Two specific works by each of these artists are also discussed; New Year’s Eve Foxfires at the Changing tree and Paulownia Trees at Akasaka in the Evening Rain. New year’s Eve Foxfires at the Changing Tree is a landscape print that is a part of the One Hundred Famous Views of Edo series. This print in particular is different from many of the other works in Hiroshige’s Famous Views series because the subject matter is more fantasy-like. The subject matter is discussed, as well as a formal analysis of the work itself. Paulownia Trees at Akasaka in the Evening Rain was created by Hiroshige Utagawa’s son and the print was based on one of Hiroshige’s prints in One Hundred Famous Views of Edo by the name of Zojiji Pagoda and Akabane. The differences between the works are discussed, as well as a formal analysis of Paulownia Trees at Akasaka in the Evening Rain.https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/ce_jsustudentsymp_2021/1002/thumbnail.jp