Artist: Ando Hiroshige
Medium: Original Japanese Woodblock Print
Series Title: Eight Views of Lake Biwa
Edition: Original
Date: c.1835
Publisher: Eikyudo/Hoeido
Reference No.: Royal Academy of Arts, London
Size: 9 -3/4 x 14 "
Condition: Fine
Notes:
Signed: 'Hiroshige ga'. Published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (Eikyudo), a joint publication with Takenouchi Magohachi (Hoeido).
Karasaki was famous for its ancient pine tree, which was revered as sacred. Images of Karasaki in the evening rain were among the earliest manifestations of the Eight Views theme, set at Ōmi, the area around Lake Biwa, southeast of Kyoto. The impression of drenching rain was achieved by a screen of fine, vertical ink lines superimposed over the muted tonal gradations of the huge pine that dominates the picture.
The series, '"Eight Views of Omi", depicting the beautiful river scenery around Lake Biwa, was modeled after the Chinese classic painting “Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang." Variant printings of this design, in particular the concentration of rain and darkness, are known. This variant (kawarizuri) with green grading on the pine tree is thought to be rarer.
The poem (square cartouche) reads: 'Yielding to the sound in the evening rain and drawing near to the evening wind, he grows famous: the pine tree of Karasaki'.