Shōno hakuu (Shōno, Driving Rain), from the series Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi (Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō)
Utagawa Hiroshige, Shōno hakuu (Shōno, Driving Rain), from the series Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi (Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō), 1833/1834, color woodblock print on paper; ōban nishiki-e, The Mary Andrews Ladd Collection, public domain, 32.487
This work is not currently on view.
- Title
Shōno hakuu (Shōno, Driving Rain), from the series Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi (Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō)
- Related Titles
edition title: Hōeidō ban Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō published by Hōeidō)
original language: 庄野 白雨
series (original language): 東海道五拾三次之内
series (translated): Fifty-three stations of the Tokaido
series (transliterated): Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi
title (transliterated): Shōno hakuu
translated: Shōno, Driving rain
- Artist
- Related People
publisher: Takenouchi Magohachi (Japanese, 1780-1854)
- Date
1833/1834
- Period
Japan: Edo period (1615-1868)
- Medium
color woodblock print on paper; ōban nishiki-e
- Dimensions (H x W x D)
image: 8 7/8 in x 13 11/16 in; sheet: 9 9/16 in x 14 9/16 in (margins trimmed off)
- Inscriptions & Markings
censor's mark: 極, printed in black relief within circular cartouche, left margin, center Transliteration (Translation): kiwame (approval) Language: Japanese
title: 庄野 // 白雨, printed in black ink and red intaglio within gourd-shaped cartouche, top left Transliteration (Translation): Shōno // hakuu (Shōno // Driving rain) Language: Japanese
series title: 東海道五拾三次之内, printed in black ink, top left Transliteration (Translation): Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi (Fifty-three stations of the Tōkaidō) Language: Japanese
publisher's mark: 保永堂板, printed in red intaglio within square cartouche, lower left Transliteration (Translation): Hōeidō han (published [by] Hoeidō) Language: Japanese Description: Edo publisher Takenouchi Magohachi 竹内孫八, firm Hōeidō 保永堂 active c. 1832-40.
signature: 廣重画, printed in black ink, center left Transliteration (Translation): Hiroshige ga (picture [by] Hiroshige) Language: Japanese
- Collection Area
Asian Art; Graphic Arts
- Category
Prints
Japanese Traditional Prints
- Object Type
relief print
- Culture
Japanese
- Credit Line
The Mary Andrews Ladd Collection
- Accession Number
32.487
- Copyright
public domain
- Terms
Rain lashes down on unsuspecting travelers, who hurriedly cover themselves with umbrellas, straw coats, and hats as they dash for shelter. Hiroshige uses emphatically slanted lines of gray ink to capture the force of a sudden downpour in this evocative depiction of humanity’s vulnerability to the whims of nature. Like the figures, the bamboo in the distance bows to the relentless power of the storm. Using only visual cues, Hiroshige stimulates our imagination so that as we look upon the unfortunate travelers we can hear and feel the wind and rain on our own bodies.
- Exhibitions
2022; 2023 Human Nature: 150 Years of Japanese Landscape Prints Portland Art Museum