Title : Sudden Shower over Shin-Öhashi Bridge and Atake

Artist : Utagawa Hiroshige

Date : 1857

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Source : Honolulu Museum of Art
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Description : Regarded as one of the masterpieces of this series, this print has often been cited as influential in the compositional development of French impressionist landscapes. It also inspired postimpressionists such as Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), who painted an oil version of this work. Atake was an informal place-name for the area shown on the far bank, named after a gigantic governmental ship, the 1500-ton Atake-maru, which was moored in front of the shögunal boathouses. The boathouses, barely visible here to the far left, were damaged by the Great earthquake of Ansei in 1855. By the time of this print's publication, the boathouse had been restored. Depicting any subjects related to the government was banned. However, Hiroshige was able to suggest the specific place by using a specific angle and certain motifs such as the bridge and thousands of lines of rain executed by a carver. (from Good News from Hiroshige exhibition 10/9/2008-)

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