Japanese Art Poster Paying Homage to the Ephemerality of Japanese Nature - Hiroshige's Fukagawa Lumberyard

"Fukagawa Lumberyard" (original title: 深川木場) is a woodblock print by the Japanese painter and illustrator Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) produced in August 1856.

This print of a landscape entirely covered in snow surprises the viewer and evokes a feeling of cold desolation, accentuated by a gray sky where snowflakes swirl, as well as by the intense blue hue of the river water, giving the whole an icy atmosphere. Framed by logs and the outline of distant mountains, this landscape takes on the air of a winter fairy tale. As usual, Hiroshige includes several anecdotal details, such as two sparrows flying above the scene, two dogs in the lower left corner, as well as a yellow umbrella in the lower center, where the kanji sakana ("fish") is again inscribed, referring to Sakanaya Eikichi, the editor of the series. Wood storage is done outside the city to prevent fires, particularly in Fukagawa, east of the Sumida River. Several wooden beams cross the scene diagonally, on both the right and left. This arrangement, combined with the zigzag movement of the river's course, gives the image a striking dynamism that contrasts with the tranquil stillness of the snowy landscape.