-
The Sea at Satta in Suruga Province
Hiroshige, Utagawa, born 1797 - died 1858 - Enlarge image
The Sea at Satta in Suruga Province; Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji
- Object:
Woodblock print
- Place of origin:
Japan (made)
- Date:
1858 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Hiroshige, Utagawa, born 1797 - died 1858 (maker)
J–zaburo, Tsutaya (publisher) - Materials and Techniques:
Block print on paper
- Museum number:
E.1275-1922
- Gallery location:
In Storage
Object Type
Japanese woodblock prints were commercial productions made for popular consumption. They were made by artists, block cutters and printers working independently to the instructions of specialist publishers. The popularity of landscape prints in 19th-century Japan was a reflection of the growth of travel and the associated demand for depictions of famous beauty spots.
Place
The Satta Pass and the wild sea below it was a well-known location on the Tokaido highway. This main route along the eastern seaboard of Japan connected Edo (modern Tokyo) and Kyoto. The pass was created in 1655 to improve the road at this point. Mount Fuji can be seen rising majestically in the background.
Time
This print was published in Edo just at the time that commercial and diplomatic ties were being established between Japan and western nations in the mid to late 1850s. During the second half of the 19th century large numbers of prints were exported to Europe and the United States. They were avidly sought out by western collectors, artists and designers, and played a major role in the development of 'Japonisme' and then art nouveau.
