Hiroshige, Sagami – The Entrance to the Caves

Notes: Strong colors throughout with careful gradation and shading of different tints on the rocks and hillside. A superb example. Famous Views of the Sixty-Odd Provinces: The most striking difference to all the other landscape series designed until then by Hiroshige and other print artists was the vertical layout of all 69 prints. Moreover, the series was distinguished by the frequent use of bokashi (gradation printing), especially in the skies and water, and in the careful gradation and shading of different tints into each other on the rocks and mountains. These innovations helped contribute to the success of this series. The emphasis of the prints in this series is on nature. The aim was to depict a famous place from each of the provinces, which is probably also the reason why relatively few people are featured in this series. Even when humans are depicted, it is often to emphasize the overwhelming nature around them. - Hiroshige's Journey in The 60-odd Provinces - Hotei Enoshima, an island dedicated to Benzaiten, the Goddess of fortune and artistic success. This made Enoshima and the caves that housed her shrine, especially popular among kabuki actresses and actors of Hiroshige's time. In the background, Mt. Fuji rises near the horizon.