{"product_id":"1821-22-ukiyo-e-eight-views-of-figures-inside-and-outside-by-utagawa-hiroshige-approximately-25x47-cm","title":"1821-22 Ukiyo-e Eight Views of Figures, Inside and Outside by Utagawa Hiroshige (Approximately 25X47 CM)","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"5a1007b9-c06a-41a6-b3e9-c49595e26bae\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-5\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full dark markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"98\" data-end=\"392\"\u003eExcellent condition overall. The print has no creases, insect damage, or water damage. The paper has darkened slightly with age, lending the work an attractive antique appearance, but there are no significant flaws. The colors and details remain exceptionally well preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"394\" data-end=\"705\"\u003eThis rare early work by \u003cspan class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"whitespace-normal\"\u003eUtagawa Hiroshige\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e belongs to the series \u003cem data-start=\"478\" data-end=\"506\"\u003eSoto to Uchi Sugata Hakkei\u003c\/em\u003e (外と内姿八景, \"Eight Views of Figures, Inside and Outside\") and is titled \u003cem data-start=\"576\" data-end=\"615\"\u003eTanbo no Rakugan \/ Kinuginu no Banshō\u003c\/em\u003e (田甫の落雁 \/ 衣々の晩鐘, \"Descending Geese at the Rice Fields \/ Evening Bell of Morning Parting\").\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"707\" data-end=\"1044\"\u003eProduced circa 1821–1822 (Bunsei 4–5), this print comes from the earliest phase of Hiroshige's career, before he became world-famous for his landscape masterpieces such as \u003cem data-start=\"879\" data-end=\"920\"\u003eThe Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō\u003c\/em\u003e. During this period, he was still producing \u003cem data-start=\"965\" data-end=\"975\"\u003ebijin-ga\u003c\/em\u003e and literary subjects in the style of his teacher, Utagawa Toyohiro.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1046\" data-end=\"1373\"\u003eThe composition is a sophisticated \u003cem data-start=\"1081\" data-end=\"1091\"\u003emitate-e\u003c\/em\u003e, or poetic parody, reinterpreting themes from the classical \u003cem data-start=\"1152\" data-end=\"1172\"\u003eEight Views of Ōmi\u003c\/em\u003e. The circular inset scene references \"Descending Geese at Katata,\" depicting travelers crossing rural rice fields beneath a flock of birds. The main image, however, presents a far more intimate scene.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1375\" data-end=\"1745\"\u003eThe subtitle \u003cem data-start=\"1388\" data-end=\"1398\"\u003eKinuginu\u003c\/em\u003e refers to the bittersweet custom of lovers parting at dawn. In Edo-period literature and poetry, the morning bell signaled the end of a clandestine evening together. Here, a high-ranking courtesan sits awake in bed, sorrowfully clutching her lover's garments after he has departed, creating an emotionally charged scene of longing and separation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1747\" data-end=\"2138\"\u003eParticularly impressive is the print's technical execution. The intricate textile patterns—including the checked winter bedding, decorated kimono fabrics, and patterned floor covering—demonstrate the extraordinary skill of early nineteenth-century woodblock carvers and printers. Such complex designs required numerous carved blocks and represented a significant investment by the publisher.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2140\" data-end=\"2316\"\u003eEarly Hiroshige bijin-ga are considerably scarcer than his later landscape prints and provide a fascinating glimpse into the formative years of one of Japan's greatest artists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2318\" data-end=\"2563\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eA rare and beautifully preserved example of early Hiroshige, combining literary sophistication, emotional depth, and exceptional craftsmanship. Suitable for collectors of ukiyo-e, bijin-ga, and important early nineteenth-century Japanese prints.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Echoes of Edo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48380117319939,"sku":null,"price":4000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/5965\/1587\/files\/IMG_5334.jpg?v=1781441124","url":"https:\/\/echoesofedo.com\/products\/1821-22-ukiyo-e-eight-views-of-figures-inside-and-outside-by-utagawa-hiroshige-approximately-25x47-cm","provider":"Echoes of Edo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}