Kanda: Dyers' Quarter, 1857, 11th lunar month
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.expand_more P.78.65.133
Not on Viewexpand_more
Narrow strips of cloth in a variety of blues hang from wooden frames to dry and blow like banners in the wind. They are the work of indigo dyers, most likely destined to be cut into towels, tenugui, which men tie around their heads during autumn festivals. Hiroshige positions us in Kon’ya-chō, literally "blue stores quarter," a street dominated by professional dyers in Kanda, a neighborhood in Edo (present-day Tokyo) that was home to many craftsmen. In pre-modern times, it was common for artisans to cluster by trade, allowing for shared access to resources and some collective bargaining power when setting values on their wares.
Details
- Title
- Kanda: Dyers' Quarter
- Artist Life
- 1797 - 1858
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- P.78.65.133
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Ukiyo-e shūka 14 (1981), Hiroshige list, p. 250, vertical ōban #62.35
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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