Inspiration from Ando Hiroshige, one of the leading ukiyo-e masters of the 19th century, and his follower, Utagawa Hiroshige (also known as "Hiroshige II").
8"x10" ($24) | 11"x14" ($60) | 16"x20" ($240) | 24"x30" ($600)
Yes, it's only February. Yes, it's cold outside. And we don't need Punxsutawney Phil to tell us that we have more of this to look forward to, not with the slush and snow confronting us every morning on the way to 20x200 headquarters. Take heart with Kinryūzan Temple, Asakusa by Ando Hiroshige and Kites of Fukuroi by his adopted son and student, Utagawa Hiroshige.
Ando Hiroshige was considered the premier artist of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") landscapes. His Kinryūzan Temple, Asakusa, opens our eyes to the delights of the season. It might be cold, but it's also beautiful; everything is cloaked in white, the light is muted, and silence descends on the city along with snowflakes. Utagawa Hiroshige gives his master’s composition a youthful twist in Kites of Fukuroi, giving us something to look forward to—spring, with its colorful return of green fields, flowering trees, breath-taking sunsets, and play.
The two prints are mirror reflections of each other, making ideal companions. The lantern on Kinryūzan Temple, Asakusa lights up the dim winter, where the large kite in Kites of Fukuroi vibrantly reflects the light of the warm sun. The airborne kites in the latter replace the monochromatic snowflakes in the former. The people heading towards the temple are bundled up, walking in the stiff way we do when we're cold; meanwhile, the kite flyers are all movement—and in bare legs!
If these prints look modern to you, it's no surprise. The prints of the late Edo period had an incalculable impact on modern art, inspiring Manet, the Impressionists, the Post-Impressionists (Van Gogh even made two Hiroshige prints into paintings), Art Nouveau, and more. Bring these two home and let them inspire you as well.
With art for everyone,
Team 20x200
