Hodogaya on the Tōkaidō, 1830-1833
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Bequest of Richard P. Galeexpand_more 74.1.237
Not on Viewexpand_more
Hodogaya was the fourth station along the Tōkaidō road en route from Edo to Kyoto. This print probably shows travelers on nearby Shinanozaka Hill, famous for the pine trees flanking the road there. Mount Fuji is seen through the trees, whose irregular trunks create an interesting vertical screen.
Hokusai rendered the figures in unusual detail. They form three groups, each traveling in a different manner. On the left are two palanquin bearers and their client, who sits comfortably bundled in the litter. One bearer wipes sweat from his brow while the other ties his shoelaces. Hokusai seems to have had particular sympathy for these men, who earned their living through backbreaking labor.
Details
- Title
- Hodogaya on the Tōkaidō
- Artist Life
- 1760 - 1849
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 74.1.237
- Provenance
- Masa-aki; John Osgood Blanchard; Louis V. Ledoux (until 1948); Roland Koscherak (around 1948); Richard P. Gale (until 1974)
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Ukiyo-e shūka 16 (1981), p. 229, horizontal ōban #18.23
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our 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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