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
Located north of the Nihonbashi commercial district, the area called Kanda was home to many craftsmen. Kon'ya-chø, literally "street of indigo makers," was dominated by professional dyers. Because indigo is a natural insect repellent, indigo dyed cloth was favored by people who worked outside all day such as carpenters and gardeners. It was also used to make towels because they held up to repeat washing without fading. In this print, Hiroshige depicted the wooden frames used to dry the dyed cloth. Narrow strips of cloth in a variety of blue hues can be seen hanging from them. They blow in the wind like banners. In the background, the watchtower of Edo castle rises above the surrounding trees in the shadow of Mount Fuji.
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.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.