Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige, "Mount Kano, Kazusa Province"

Hiroshige's series of designs, "Wrestling Matches Between Mountains and Seas" is a reference to the cartouche encasing the title, which is designed to look like the gunbai, a fan used by referees in sumo wrestling. In this design, Mount Kano (or Kaso) in Chiba Prefecture sits imposingly in the foreground with Tokyo Bay in the background. Visitors are shown making the trek to Kanozan Jinja, a Shinto shrine perched on Mount Kano's summit. A first edition printing with two-color cartouche.

Series: Wrestling Matches Between Mountains and Seas
Date 1858
Size: Oban
Publisher: Yamadaya Shojiro
Condition: Light center fold, otherwise excellent color and condition

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) is the most important Japanese artist to emerge from Edo period ukiyo-e. Hiroshige is a widely recognized master of Japanese woodblock prints whose works have had a tremendous influence on artistic currents throughout the world. His woodblock prints are highly coveted by collectors and museums around the world.