Tokaido Appraisal

Utagawa Hiroshige: Shinagawa - Sunrise, No. 2 from The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Hoeido edition)

This is a horizontal woodblock print (u-kiyoe) on washi paper, housed within a frame using an arched-corner mat. This iconic scene depicts Shinagawa, the first station on the Tokaido road from Edo. The composition features several Daimyo retainers walking past teahouses along the bay, with several sailing vessels (utase-bune) anchored in the harbor under a soft dawn sky. The color palette includes deep indigo 'bokashi' (gradation) in the water, subtle pinks and yellows in the morning sky, and earthy browns for the architecture. Notable markings include the series title and station name in the upper-center cartouche, Hiroshige's signature (Hiroshige ga) at the top left, and the red Hoeido publisher's seal. Regarding condition, the print shows signs of moderate age-toning and light-induced fading, common for Edo-period or early Meiji-era woodblocks. There is visible slight darkening of the paper edge near the matting, though the registration of the woodblocks remains sharp, indicating a relatively early or high-quality printing. The craftsmanship is characterized by the intricate line work of the pine trees on the far right and the detailed garments of the travelers. This piece represents the ukiyo-e style of the 1830s, specifically the Hoeido edition which established Hiroshige's fame as a landscape artist.