Ando Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858), Ishiyama Temple and Lake Biwa in Omi Province, from Pictures of Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces, 1853, woodcut, 13 1/8 x 8 7/8 inches. Brigham Young University Museum of Art, purchase/gift of the Mahonri M. Young Estate, 1959.
Today's artwork is a highlight from the MOA's Japanese woodblock print collection. This tranquil nocturne scene shows a small village along Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake, located in the hills above Kyoto. A dozen open boats line the wharf where gleaming inns and cafés have opened their rooms to the evening air. The red block at the left contains the signature of the artist, Hiroshige, in kanji characters.