Edo prints
| Design: | Shōtei Hokuju (1763–1824) | |||||
| Title: | View of Ryōgoku bridge | |||||
| Series title: | The Eastern capital | |||||
| Size: | 24.8 x 38.5 cm (ōban) | |||||
| Posthumous printing from newly cut woodblocks | ||||||
| Photography: | Jacques Commandeur |
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Originally published in the 1820s by Nishimuraya Yohachi (firm name Eijudō). This edition from newly carved blocks was published by Adachi.
The view in this print is from the westbank of the Sumida river in Edo. In the foreground we see the main street of Hirokōji. The pointed roof visible in the distance right across Ryōkogu bridge is that of Muenji temple, also known as Ekō-in. On the eastbank on the right we also see the wood stored in a timber yard in Fukagawa. In the far distance on the left is Okura bridge. For more details about this view, please visit my Ehon Sumidagawa website.
Artist’s signature in left print area:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 昇 | shō | rise up | |
| 亭 | tei | pavilion | |
| 北 | hoku | north | |
| 壽 | ju | longevity | Picture by |
| 画 | ga | picture | Shōtei Hokuju |
Series and print title in the upper right area of the print:
| Character | Reading | Meaning | Translation |
| 東 | tō | east | |
| 都 | to | capital | The Eastern capital |
| 両 | ryō | both | |
| 国 | goku | province | |
| 之 | no | ’s | |
| 風 | fū | air | |
| 景 | kei | view | View of Ryōgoku bridge |
Round censorship seal reading kiwame (‘approved’), and Eiju han seal, see Marks (2011, p. 67, seal number 23-016), of the original publisher Nishimuraya Yohachi in bottom left print area.
References
- Forrer, Matthi (1994). Japanese Prints (2 volumes in slipcase). Vol. 10-11, Genève: Collections Baur.
- Marks, Andreas (2011). Publishers of Japanese Woodblock Prints: A Compendium. Leiden: Hotei Publishing.
Provenance: Fuji Arts