Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

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Azuma no mori yoru no ame, “Evening Rain at Azuma Shrine.” From a fine and rare early set Edo kinko hakkei, ”Eight Views in the Environs of Edo.” Shows figures walking along a dike beside the Kita Jumagawa. Azuma Shrine is seen amongst trees to the left. This set was first published privately for the Taihaido Poetry Club by the publisher Sanoya Kihei (Kikakudo) c 1837-8. (Similar to Hiroshige’s first set of fish prints.) For obvious reasons examples of these prints are of the utmost rarity. An entire set is in the Baur Collection, Matthi Forrer, 1994, nos. G492 – G499, this being G498. They have the copyright owner’s name in the left border, Taihaido Nomimasu, who was the head of the poetry club. They also have three poems on each design. The commercial edition, as here, has one or two poems and loses the Taihaido name. (Again, similar to the fish series.) These prints, initially not intended for commercial consumption, are more refined with a greater degree of care taken with the cutting of the blocks. Contrary to later sets, figures are small, pigments are subdued and large foreground objects are not in evidence yet. One of Hiroshige’s finest sets. Rare.

Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition with large margins. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold