UTAGAWA HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

In the evening of New Year's Eve, foxes with flame-like phosphorescence gather under a hackberry tree in a gathering called Shozoku enoki near Oji Inari (Fox) Shrine in Edo. After purifying themselves under this tree, foxes visit Oji Inari Shrine to receive the divine message for the New Year’s Day. This is the sole work depicting a fantastical subject from this series. In this print, Hiroshige intentionally outlined the foxes on the ground sharply and precisely while other elements are treated indistinctly in the dark of night which emphasizes the fantastical atmosphere of this work.