Suijin Shrine and Massaki on the Sumida River
Woodblock print on paper, horizontal oban format • Utagawa Hiroshige
Style & Movement
Ukiyo-e, Edo period Japanese printmaking
Medium & Technique
Polychrome woodblock print (nishiki-e) using traditional water-based pigments on handmade mulberry paper (washi)
Creation Period
Edo period, circa 1856
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 25 cm x 37 cm, horizontal landscape format
Subject Description
A picturesque landscape view along the Sumida River during spring, featuring blooming cherry trees, a thatched-roof tea stall on the left, a procession of itinerant Buddhist monks wearing conical hats in the foreground, and numerous small boats dotting the river under a gradient sky.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good. The print displays vibrant colors with minor overall toning, light foxing spots in the upper sky area, and trimmed margins typical of antique woodblock prints.
Estimated Market Value
8000-15000 USD
Auction Estimate
5000-10000 USD
Provenance History
Acquired from a private European collection specializing in 19th-century Japanese works on paper, previously held in a Japanese art collection in the early 20th century.
Art Historical Significance
This print is part of the celebrated series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, one of Hiroshige's late masterpieces which profoundly influenced Western Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists such as Vincent van Gogh and James McNeill Whistler.
Notable Features
Includes the distinctive publisher mark and censor seals along the left margin, delicate bokashi (graduated color printing) in the sky, and precise carving detail on the figures and cherry blossoms.
Condition Issues
Faint foxing in the upper central sky, minor handling creases, slight fading to fugitive pigments in the red/pink areas, and trimmed paper margins.
Conservation Recommendations
Store and display in acid-free, UV-protective framing with conservation-grade matting, maintaining controlled relative humidity between 45-50 percent and low lighting levels to prevent further fading.