Hiroshige Utagawa (1797–1858) is a master of landscape painting whose works remain highly popular today. His use of a deep, beautiful blue, particularly in depictions of skies and seas, is especially striking. This blue is known as Berlin Blue (Prussian Blue or "bero-ai"), a pigment introduced to ukiyo-e around 1830. Inspired by its beauty, many artists of the time began using bero-ai in their landscapes, and Utagawa, then in his mid-thirties, was among them. Upon encountering bero-ai, Utagawa experienced a revelation in his approach to landscape painting, delicately capturing the ever-changing skies and water surfaces, which led to his rise as a popular artist. Throughout his life, Hiroshige continued to create a series of poetic masterpieces, solidifying his status in the ukiyo-e world.
This exhibition focuses on Utagawa's masterpieces created with bero-ai, offering a closer look at the allure of Utagawa's blues, which continue to be cherished both in Japan and abroad.
First Term: October 5 (Sat) – November 4 (Mon, Holiday) Second Term: November 9 (Sat) – December 8 (Sun) *All works will be replaced between the first and second terms.
1 minute walk from exit 5 at Meijijingu-mae Station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines, 3 minute walk from the Omotesando exit of Harajuku Station on the JR Yamanote line.
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