Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Episode 592 – The Artist of the Open Road, Part 2
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Episode 592 – The Artist of the Open Road, Part 2
This week, we’re covering Hiroshige’s emergence as an artist, which took 20 years after he finished his apprenticeship in the Utagawa school. Why the long gap? And what changed to finally allow him to break out artistically?
Sources
Haft, Alfred. Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road
Forer, Matthi. Hiroshige
Images
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9987" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-220x300.jpg" alt="" width="220" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-220x300.jpg 220w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-750x1024.jpg 750w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-768x1049.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px" />One of Utagawa Toyohiro’s many bijinga, or portraits of beautiful women. This was what he was famous for, and generally it was one of the largest segments of the ukiyo-e market before the “landscape craze” of the late Edo period.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9985" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-300x231.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="231" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-300x231.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-1024x787.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-768x590.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-1536x1181.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-1600x1230.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A Toyohiro landscape. Landscapes sold before the publication of 36 Views of Mt Fuji, but they were not as popular as other genres.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9986" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-300x205.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-1024x701.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-768x526.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-1536x1051.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-1600x1095.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Do I even need to caption this?
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9984" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-300x203.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-1024x691.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-768x518.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-1536x1037.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-1600x1080.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Fine Wind, Clear Morning is both one of Hokusai’s most famous works and a great example of bokashi grading between colors.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9988" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-300x196.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="196" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-300x196.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-768x503.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-1536x1006.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-1600x1048.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Kanbara, from the 53 Stations of the Tokaido.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9983" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-300x193.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="193" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-300x193.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-1024x658.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-768x494.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-1536x987.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-1600x1028.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Rain Shower at Shono, from 53 Stations of the Tokaido. Another great example of bokashi, and of the “action” of Hiroshige’s travel prints (which are far more than just landscapes).
View all episodes
By This week, we’re covering Hiroshige’s emergence as an artist, which took 20 years after he finished his apprenticeship in the Utagawa school. Why the long gap? And what changed to finally allow him to break out artistically?
Sources
Haft, Alfred. Hiroshige: Artist of the Open Road
Forer, Matthi. Hiroshige
Images
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9987" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-220x300.jpg" alt="" width="220" height="300" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-220x300.jpg 220w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-750x1024.jpg 750w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art-768x1049.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1024px-Utagawa_Toyohiro_-_Woman_Putting_on_Finger_Plectrums_to_Play_the_Koto_-_14.76.43_-_Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 220px) 100vw, 220px" />One of Utagawa Toyohiro’s many bijinga, or portraits of beautiful women. This was what he was famous for, and generally it was one of the largest segments of the ukiyo-e market before the “landscape craze” of the late Edo period.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9985" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-300x231.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="231" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-300x231.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-1024x787.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-768x590.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-1536x1181.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025-1600x1230.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Yoshiwara_LCCN2008660025.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />A Toyohiro landscape. Landscapes sold before the publication of 36 Views of Mt Fuji, but they were not as popular as other genres.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9986" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-300x205.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-1024x701.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-768x526.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-1536x1051.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2-1600x1095.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa2.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Do I even need to caption this?
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9984" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-300x203.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-1024x691.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-768x518.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-1536x1037.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project-1600x1080.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Katsushika_Hokusai_-_Fine_Wind_Clear_Morning_Gaifu_kaisei_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Fine Wind, Clear Morning is both one of Hokusai’s most famous works and a great example of bokashi grading between colors.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9988" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-300x196.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="196" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-300x196.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-1024x670.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-768x503.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-1536x1006.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara-1600x1048.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1920px-Hiroshige16_kanbara.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Kanbara, from the 53 Stations of the Tokaido.
<img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-9983" data-tf-not-load src="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-300x193.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="193" srcset="https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-300x193.jpg 300w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-1024x658.jpg 1024w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-768x494.jpg 768w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-1536x987.jpg 1536w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain-1600x1028.jpg 1600w, https://isaacmeyer.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hiroshige_Travellers_surprised_by_sudden_rain.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Rain Shower at Shono, from 53 Stations of the Tokaido. Another great example of bokashi, and of the “action” of Hiroshige’s travel prints (which are far more than just landscapes).