Hiroshige's 53 Stations of the Tokaido

Celebrated for its lyrical depiction of Japanese travelers making their way along the country's Eastern Sea Route, Ando Hiroshige's 53 Stations of the Tokaido (1833-34) is an exceptional example of ukiyo-e color woodblock prints, which flourished in Japan during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Hiroshige, one of the most prolific masters of the woodblock medium, revitalized the tradition of landscape with elegant works that skillfully balanced the region's distinctive topography and ever-changing weather with refreshingly candid views of the human condition. This exhibition features highlights from the more than 50 prints that comprise this series. With their bold linear designs, dramatic compositions, and delicate color gradations, Hiroshige's pioneering landscapes captured the attention of not only Japanese commoners, who constituted the primary market for ukiyo-e prints, but also late 19th-century European artists such as Degas, Manet, and Van Gogh, who incorporated Hiroshige's formal innovations into their own work.

For support of our Fall 2004 exhibitions and programs, we are grateful to the University of Vermont's Provost's Office; the Asian Studies Program; the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources; the College of Arts and Sciences; Special Collections, Bailey/Howe Library; and the Department of Art and Art History. We thank the Department of Biology for support of Bernd Heinrich: Naturalist as Artist; and the Rosenblum family and Bernd Heinrich for their generous loans.