Artwork of the Week: October 13
The elegant red arch of a flying firework jumps over Edo. A large mass of people watch from the bridge and in boats drifting on the river. Bursting sparks brighten the night sky as the people crowd for an annual summer festival. It originally commemorated those who had died from disease and famine but later became a celebration of the start of every summer. Ryōgoku means “two provinces” as it is the bridge that connects the Edo (Tokyo) and Shimosa areas. Built in 1659, it still stands today over the Sumida-Gaza River, one of the rivers that flow through central Tokyo. This river was an important mode of transportation and recreation such as the fireworks for the celebration seen here. Utagawa Hiroshige created this print during the Edo period, a time bursting with culture, and it is part of his collection of woodblock prints called One Hundred Famous Views at Edo.
