Japanese Woodblock Print, originally published privately in 1837-1838 for the Taihaido poetry club by Sanoya Kihei, this is a very fine reissue from an early 20th century edition printed from recarved woodblocks

SIZE IN INCHES: oban, approx. 10.5 x 15.5 inches

PROVENANCE: From the estate of Robert O. Muller

COMMENTS: Number 26 from the Kisokaido Road Series

A man leads his horse past the wooded slopes of Asukayama in the north of Edo, passing a priest, possibly from the nearby Oji Kumano Gongen Shrine. This spot is particularly popular in the spring when hundreds of cherry trees planted there from 1720 are in blossom. In this print, however, the hills are covered with a thick layer of snow. In the upper half of the print is a poem by Nomimasu. It reads:

At the hills "where birds fly": Asukayama,
they spread and come
resembling wild ducks
snow falling in the evening .

HIROSHIGE UTAGAWA or Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858) was a Japanese artist during the 19th century and is considered the last great master of the ukiyo-e movement. His approach was more poetic and ambient than the typical ukiyo-e style, and his innovative compositions were a great influence to Western painters, such as Vincent van Gogh. The term ukiyo-e translates to "pictures of the floating world" and refers to a genre of Japanese art with a wide span of imagery such as kabuki actors, folk tales, landscapes, and even erotica. This movement was critical in forming the Western perception of Japanese art.

Fine, no flaws