Winter thumbnail 1
Winter thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Winter

Woodblock Print
1843-1847 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This elegantly composed uchiwa-e, or rigid fan print, design by Hiroshige has survived in good condition despite having been salvaged, as the ribmarks on its surface indicate, from a made-up fan. It consists of a close-up view of a flower arrangement in front of a painting mounted as a hanging scroll such as might be found in the 'tokonoma' or display alcove of a Japanese room. In this case the chill of winter is portrayed by a snowy view of the 'torii' gate of the Mimeguri Shrine seen across the reaches of the Sumida river in Edo (modern Tokyo). The starkness of the image is relieved by the curving form of the narcissus on the right and the deep red of the camellia on the left. The artist's signature appears to be appended to the painting rather than to the print as a whole. This was a common contrivance in compositions of this kind.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Winter (assigned by artist)
  • Fashionable Flower Arrangements of the Four Seasons (series title)
Materials and techniques
Colour print from woodblocks
Brief description
Woodblock print, Utagawa Hiroshige I; 'Winter', from the series 'Fashionable Flower Arrangements of the Four Seasons'; fan print, Japanese, 1843-1847
Physical description
Fan print, aiban size. Artist signature: Hiroshige hitsu. Artist seal: Ichiryusai. Publisher Mark: Gankiken of Shiba. Censor seal: Fu.
Style
Credit line
Webb Bequest
Summary
This elegantly composed uchiwa-e, or rigid fan print, design by Hiroshige has survived in good condition despite having been salvaged, as the ribmarks on its surface indicate, from a made-up fan. It consists of a close-up view of a flower arrangement in front of a painting mounted as a hanging scroll such as might be found in the 'tokonoma' or display alcove of a Japanese room. In this case the chill of winter is portrayed by a snowy view of the 'torii' gate of the Mimeguri Shrine seen across the reaches of the Sumida river in Edo (modern Tokyo). The starkness of the image is relieved by the curving form of the narcissus on the right and the deep red of the camellia on the left. The artist's signature appears to be appended to the painting rather than to the print as a whole. This was a common contrivance in compositions of this kind.
Collection
Accession number
E.4829-1919

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Record createdFebruary 12, 2004
Record URL
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