Lecture
Utagawa Hiroshige: The Landscape Artist as Pathfinder
- Alfred Haft (British Museum)
- Date
- Tuesday 11 November 2025
- Time
- Series
- Leiden Lecture Series in Japanese Studies
- Location
-
Lipsius
Cleveringaplaats 1
2311 BD Leiden - Room
- 1.23
Utagawa Hiroshige’s (1797–1858) calm, lyrical depictions of rural landscapes, nature and the urban environment have an immediate appeal that captures the imagination of anyone drawn not only to Japan and Japanese culture but also to thoughtful depictions of daily life. He was widely acclaimed in his own day, and the work of modern and contemporary artists, scientists, scholars and collectors across Europe, the US and Japan reveals him to be a lasting source of inspiration. Rather than attempting to survey his vast oeuvre of around 5000 prints, this presentation will focus on three areas generally recognized as his main contributions to the world of popular culture during the late-Edo period (1615–1868): landscapes, bird-and-flower prints, and fan prints. The discussion will consider how his leading approach contributed to his contemporary success and how subsequent artists have interpreted his example.
