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The Teahouse at Mariko, no. 21 from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō
The Teahouse at Mariko, no. 21 from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō

The Teahouse at Mariko, no. 21 from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō

Artist/Maker (Japanese, 1797–1858)
Publisher
Date1834–35
MediumColor woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
DimensionsHorizontal ōban; overall: 9 5/8 × 14 1/4 in. (24.4 × 36.2 cm)
Credit LineMary A. Ainsworth Bequest
PortfolioFifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō gojusantsugi no uchi)
Object number1950.811
Status
Not on view
More Information
Mariko Station was famous for its grated yam soup, or tororojiru. At this teahouse, travelers can be seen enjoying the soup with gusto. Behind the teahouse, the blossoms of a white plum tree are just coming into full bloom. Hiroshige often places his images of plum blossoms on a pink background. In this composition, the pink and reddish colors give warmth to the scene and the blossoms stand out beautifully.

Hiroshige may also have been illustrating a famous verse by the poet Matsuo Bashō 松尾芭蕉 (1644–1694):


Plum blossoms and fresh greens
at Mariko
and that yam porridge.
Exhibition History
Hiroshige's Tokaido Prints: Views of Nineteenth-Century Japan
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (March 25, 1997 - June 9, 1997 )
Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection
  • Chiba City Museum of Art, Chiba, Japan (April 13, 2019 - May 25, 2019 )
  • Shizuoka City Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan (June 8, 2019 - July 28, 2019 )
  • Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Osaka, Japan (August 10, 2019 - September 29, 2019 )
Ukiyo-e Prints from the Mary Ainsworth Collection
  • Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin, OH (January 14, 2020 - December 6, 2020 )
Collections
  • Asian
This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator. Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information about this object? Please contact us.