Station 31: Maisaka

Category

Library Item

Item no

16277

Title

Fifty-three stations by two brushes (Sohitsu gojusantsugi). Station 31: Maisaka.

Description

In this print three blind itinerant musicians are shown making their way along the Tokaido. The travellers, two adults and a young girl, each relies on their bamboo walking stick to help guide them. All three wear wraps (tenugui) over their heads and one musician has pulled her cloth down to cover her eyes. Their possessions are tied across their shoulders in fabric slings and all three wear straw sandals. One of the musicians rests a shamisen on her shoulder and another carries a stringed instrument wrapped in a cloth cover (furoshiki) on her back. The traveller with the shamisen wears a brown and white patterned kimono over a navy and blue patterned underkimono, their female companion is dressed in a blue striped kimono with a navy and blue patterned underkimono, and the child wears a green kimono over a pink underkimono. All three have tucked up the hemlines of their outerkimono.
In the background inset, Hiroshige depicts a view across the sea of Imagiri. The Hoeido version similarly depicts Imagiri but also includes a distant view of a white Mount Fuji.

Artist / maker

Kunisada I (Toyokuni III)

Engraver

Hori Take (Yokogawa Takejiro)

Date

1855

Size

36 x 24.8 cm

Type

Wood cut

Location

Art and Design Library

Further artist information:
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)
Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III, 1786-1865)
Signed:
Hiroshige ga (landscape)
Toyokuni ga (figures)

Censorship seal: Aratame
Further date information:
April 1855, (Rabbit year, 4th month)

The subject matter of the 'Fifty-three stations by two brushes' series drew upon the popularity of Hiroshige's celebrated series 'Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido Road' (Tokaido gojusan tsugi no uchi); the earliest editions of which were produced between 1832 and 1834.
Both Kunisada and Hiroshige were pupils of the Utagawa School and collaborated together in order to produce a commercial hit with their 'Fifty-three stations by two brushes'. The series demonstrates Hiroshige's distinction as a landscape artist and Kunisada'a skill as a figurative artist. This series comprises of fifty-six designs (including the title page). Although there were fifty-three post stations, artists traditionally include Nihonbashi (where the Tokaido began) and Kyoto (the road's terminus). The late Edo-period audience who would have collected these lavish prints were able to make connections between the figures and the specific post stations along the Tokaido. Each character's relationship to a locality relies upon subtle references to well known legends and kabuki theatre plots. Hiroshige's original Tokaido series are also referenced in these prints.

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Related images

Related subjects

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Sandals

Clothing and dress > Accessories > Walking sticks

Clothing and dress > Garments > Kimonos

Landscape > Water > Seas

People > Adults > Women

People > Children > Girls

People > Entertainment and sports > Musicians

Places > Asia > Japan

Sport and leisure > Culture > Musical instruments

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