Sudden Shower over Shin-Ōhashi Bridge and Atake (Ōhashi Atake no yūdachi)
Print (ukiyo-e woodblock print) on kozo paper • Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858)
Style & Movement
Ukiyo-e, Edo Period
Medium & Technique
Nishiki-e (multi-colored woodblock print) featuring bokashi (color gradation) in the sky and water, and precise line-carving for the rain and architecture
Creation Period
1857 (Ansei 4), 9th month
Dimensions & Format
Ōban tate-e (vertical format); approx. 37 x 25 cm (14.5 x 9.8 inches)
Subject Description
A dramatic summer rainstorm over the Shin-Ōhashi bridge spanning the Sumida River. Pedestrians scramble for cover under umbrellas and straw mats, while a solitary raftsman steers a log raft in the background. The composition uses a bold, high-perspective diagonal that conveys the intensity of the downpour and the atmospheric depth of the Atake bank beyond.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Very Good (judging by the digital image); the colors appear relatively vibrant, though some slight yellowing of the paper and trimming of the margins may be present.
Estimated Market Value
$20,000 - $60,000 USD (depending on the impression quality, state, and specific edition)
Auction Estimate
$15,000 - $45,000 USD
Provenance History
Likely published by Uoya Eikichi in Edo. Subsequent ownership typically involves private collections or museum archives. Visible seals include the title cartouche (red), series title (yellow/green), censorship (Aratame), and date seals in the upper right margin, with the artist's signature (Hiroshige ga) and publisher seal in the lower left.
Art Historical Significance
One of the most iconic masterpieces of Hiroshige's career and the ukiyo-e genre. It is plate 58 from the 'One Hundred Famous Views of Edo' series. The print famously inspired Vincent van Gogh, who created an oil painting copy of it in 1887, marking it as a crucial link between Japanese art and Western Impressionism/Post-Impressionism.
Notable Features
Features complex 'bokashi' gradation at the top to represent storm clouds. The use of overlapping thin black lines to depict the falling rain is considered a technical pinnacle of woodblock carving. Includes the red series title cartouche and the square title cartouche.
Condition Issues
Common issues for this age include light foxing, woodblock wear (missing or broken rain lines in later impressions), paper thinning, and fading of light-sensitive pigments like indigo or organic yellows.
Conservation Recommendations
Storage in a climate-controlled environment with Acid-free mounting. Display under UV-filtering glass with low lux levels to prevent fading of vegetable dyes.