“SnowyScene”Lesson:Hiroshige
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MeguroDrumBridgeandSunsetHill,Hiroshige,1857
ArtinActionisa501(c)(3)nonprofitorganization
dedicatedtobringingarttochildrenforover30years
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ArtistBackground:AndoHiroshige
AndoHiroshige(1797-1858)
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AndoHiroshigewasborninEdo,Japan(nowTokyo)underthenameAndo
Tokutaro.Hisfatherwasafirechief,andHiroshigewasalsoafiremanbefore
becomingaprofessionalartist.Asachild,helikedtosketch.
Afterhisparentsdiedwhenhewastwelve,Hiroshigejoinedthepaintingschoolof
ToyohiroUtagawa,afamousJapaneseartistatthetime.Itwastherethatheadopted
hisartistname,UtagawaHiroshige,afterreceivingaschoollicense.
HiroshigewasapainterandprintmakeroftheUkiyo-egenreofart.Theseartists
madewoodblockprintsofwomen,actors,andlandscapes.TheartofUkiyo-e
printmakersinspiredmanyWesternimpressionistsandpost-impressionists,such
asMonetandVanGogh.
Atfirst,Hiroshigemainlydesignedprintsofactors,beautifulwomen,andsamurais.
Hethenwentontocreatelandscapeprints,whicharewhathebecamefamousfor.
HeisbestknownforhisseriesofprintsdepictingdifferentareasofJapan,suchas
Fifty-threeStagesoftheTokaido,FamousPlacesinKyoto,andOneHundredFamous
ViewsofEdo.
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Hiroshige’sstyleisminimalistic;hewasfondofusingsimplelinesandcalm
compositionstodepictlandscapesandeverydaylifeinJapan.Hisprintsoften
includemistyskies,snow-coveredmountains,fishingboatsonthesea,andtranquil
forests.
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AlthoughHiroshigelovedtotravel,helivedinEdoforhisentirelife.Hediedof
choleraattheageof62.Duringhislifetime,Hiroshigeproducedover5,000prints.
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ArtDiscussion:MeguroDrumBridgeandSunsetHill
MeguroDrumBridgeandSunsetHill,Hiroshige,1857
HowdidHiroshigemakethispieceofart?
Thisisawoodblockprint,whichismadelikeastamp.First,theartistdrawsascenehe
wouldliketomakeintoaprint.Next,thisdesigniscarvedintoablockofwood.Colored
inkisthenpaintedontothecarving,andthewoodispressedontopapertomakea
print.Thecarvingcanbereusedoverandoveragain;soonedesigncanmakemany
prints.WoodblockprintswereaverypopulartypeofJapaneseartduringHiroshige’s
time.
Whatcolorsmakethiswinteryscenefeelcold?
Hiroshigeusedcoolcolorstogiveusthefeelingofachillywinternight.Anicyblueis
usedtocolortheriver,whileadeep,darkbluefillsthestarrysky.Blue-greyshadows
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arepaintedunderthebridgeandonthehillside.Frostywhiteisusedtofillmostofthe
snowyscene.Eventhegreenandpurpleofthevillagers’clothingarecoolcolors.
Wheredorepeatingshapesandlinesmakepatternsinthisprint?
Verticallinesmakepatternsthroughoutthisscene.Thefenceposts,bridgerailings,tiny
bladesofgrass,andtreesinthedistanceareallmadewithrepeatedverticallines.The
patternofthetinystarsrepeatsinthetextureonthebridge.Theserepeatedpatterns
connectthedifferentpartsofthescenetogether.
WheredidHiroshigeusecurvedlinesinthisprint?
Curvinglinesmoveoureyesaroundthescene.Theslopinghillsidedrawsourattention
fromthetoptothebottomofthepicture,andthecurveofthebridgemovesusacross
thesceneasoureyesfollowthepeople.Thecurvinglineoftheriverpullsourattention
intothesnow-coveredbackground.
Whatarethepeopledoinginthisscene?
Fivevillagerswearinghatsandcarryingumbrellaswalkacrossthebridgetowardsthe
housesonthesideofthescene.Whatcouldtheybegoingtodo?Theircoloredclothing
againstthewhitesnowmakesusnoticethem,buttheyaresmallincomparisontothe
naturethatsurroundsthem.Inthisprint,thepeoplearenotasimportantasthe
beautifultrees,snowyfields,andstarlitsky.
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ArtProject:SnowyWatercolorScene(30minutes)
Materials:
• Whitewatercolorpaper
• Paintbrush
• Watercolorpaint
• Watercontainer
• Whitecrayonsoroilpastels
Instructions:
1. Withthewhitecrayonoroilpastel,drawasimplelandscapeonthewhitepaper.
Includehills,mountains,trees,rivers,orpaths.
2. Addstarsorsnowflakestoyourscenebydrawingdotswithyourwhite
crayon/pastel.
3. Useadarkwatercolorwashtopainttheskyandlandscape.Usecoolcolors,suchas
blue,grey,andpurple.Anyareaswithcrayonorpastelwillremainwhite.
4. Waitforthepainttodry,andthenaddadditionallayersofwashformoreintense
color.
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