Hiroshige

(born 1797, Edo, Japan—died Oct. 12, 1858, Edo) Japanese artist and master of the colour woodblock print. He became a pupil of the ukiyo-e master Utagawa Toyokuni in Edo (now Tokyo) c. 1811. In 1833–34 a series of 55 landscape prints, Fifty-three Stages on the Tokaido, established him as one of the most popular ukiyo-e artists of all time. Demand for his figure-with-landscape designs became so great that overproduction diminished their quality. He produced more than 5,000 prints, and 10,000 copies were made from some of his woodcuts. His genius was first recognized in the West by the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists, on whom he exerted much influence. See also Edo culture.