First National Bank
Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige lll
(1842 - 1894)
Datec.1833
Mediumwoodblock print
DimensionsOverall: 35.7 × 24 cm
ClassificationsFINE ART
Credit LinePurchased with Funds Provided by Judith Patt
Object number2014.018.018
DescriptionUncut woodblock print comprised of two separate and distinct views of Tokyo. The top image depicts the five-story Mitsui-gumi House, completed in 1874, which housed the First National Bank. The Western-style lower floors are topped with a miniature castle reflecting shogunate style, complete with a tiled roof. The imposing structure is surrounded with a walled courtyard topped with an iron fence, with a blossoming cherry tree just inside the entrance. The bottom design shows a busy street scene with pedestrians sharing the road with rickshaws. Both modern and traditional buildings line the road, and Mt. Fuji is visible in the distance, wreathed in clouds. This print is a wonderful showcasing of the rapid modernization of Japan during the period.Status
Not on view
