LIFE AND TIMES OF THE FAMOUS JAPANESE ART LEGEND, AND MASTER OF COLOR WOODCUTS, UTAGAWA HIROSHIGE

For generations, Japan has experienced a relatively stable socio-cultural environment – with minimized interference from foreign cultures; making it possible for the nation to constantly evolve in its diversities. These include the development of its own unique brand, style, and art movements.

We can, in fact, say that Japan's artistic influences have been tremendous having a more pronounced outward effect rather than inward. And this has, in many ways, being to the amazing contributions by great legends such as Utagawa Hiroshige, Japanese artist, and the grand master of color woodcuts, and a few others.

HIS BIRTH AND GROWING-UP DAYS

Born in 1979, Utagawa (also known as Ando) Hiroshige, was one who experienced many heartbreaks in his lifetime – the loss of his one of three sisters; his mom at age 12, and his dad the very next year. These events particularly the passing away of his father, lead to his rapid ‘maturity’ and ‘early assumption’ of office – inheriting the profession of the family’s head; according to custom, which was monitoring, prevention or control of fires in Edo (now Tokyo) Castle.

UTAGAWA’S FAMOUS WORKS

Fortunately, this inherited role availed him lots of free time to pursue his passion for drawing. It was recorded that the Japanese art legend created his first work, Tokutaro, at the age of 10.

Utagawa soon gained wide popularity within and outside his homeland, reaching far beyond its borders with his own style of color woodcuts and engravings including '100-famous-types-ofEdo','Thirty-Six-View-of-Mount-Fuji', and the '53-Tokaido-Stations' among countless others.

HIS MISFORTUNES

As Utagawa advanced into the peak of his career, he was, yet again, confronted with personal ill lucks, as deaths of loved ones became a regular occurrence in his life. It was in 1839, when his first spouse, after which he married a second time. Soon afterward was the death of his son, Chujiro. Surviving documents, however, indicates that these occurrences lead to heightened anxiety and depression.

THE LEGEND DIES AT 61 YEARS OLD

On October 12, 1858, the Japanese art legend, and master of color woodcuts died at 61. Although he was said to have lived a short life by Japanese standards, he created more than five thousand works in his lifetime. Many of which beautifully depicts his subtle, philosophical, delicate and poetic view of the world.

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