冨嶽三十六景　江戸日本橋|Nihonbashi in Edo (Edo Nihonbashi), from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)

Katsushika Hokusai

ca. 1830–32 · Woodblock print; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

Views of the central district of old Edo such as this are frequently characterized by three motifs: the arc of Nihonbashi (literally, "Bridge of Japan") together with the tiered roofs of Edo Castle and the distant Mt. Fuji. In addition to being the first stage of the Tōkaidō, Nihonbashi's distinctive form and prominent location earned it the importance of a symbol of the capital city. In this composition, Hokusai's radical cropping of the foreground bridge has the effect of thrusting the viewer directly into the bustling crowds of townsmen.

Artist

Katsushika Hokusai

Date

ca. 1830–32

Medium

Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1936