UTAGAWA HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)

The sweeping view of the whirlpools at Naruto, depicting a distant view of the mountains stretched to the horizon and the foams of the famous whirlpool rapids at Naruto in foreground. Hiroshige worked on this subject several times including Awa Naruto no fukei (View of the whirlpools at Naruto, Awa province), the masterpiece triptych work from the artis'ts last series concerning snow, moon and flowers (setsugekka) published in 1857. According to Suzuki Juzo in Rokujuyoshu Meisho Zue by Hiroshige collected by prof. Gerhard Pulverer (Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1996), the powerful composition with perspective and the dramatic depictions of waves and rocks shown in this work may suggest the influence of Katsushika Hokusai.