A Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Various Provinces: Toto Saruwakacho - Utagawa Hiroshige II

A woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige II depicting the Saruwakacho theatre district in Edo, featuring theatrical figures and traditional advertising banners.

This woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige II depicts the Saruwakacho district of Edo, a centre for kabuki theatre during the mid-nineteenth century. The composition employs a dual perspective: the upper portion features a theatrical scene with actors in costume, framed by cherry blossoms, while the lower portion provides a street-level view of the district. The scene is populated by numerous vertical banners, or nobori, which were used to advertise theatre performances and identify specific troupes.

Utagawa Hiroshige II, a student and successor to the famous Hiroshige, maintains the stylistic conventions of the Ukiyo-e tradition here. The print uses bold blocks of colour and clear outlines to define the architectural elements and the figures. The inclusion of the theatrical scene within the street view creates a layered visual narrative, connecting the art of the stage with the daily life of the city. The colour palette relies on deep blues, greens, and reds, which were common in the production of prints during this period. The banners, with their calligraphic kanji, add a rhythmic, repetitive quality to the composition, guiding the eye through the bustling street scene.

This work belongs to the series 'A Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Various Provinces', a project that continued the tradition of topographical print series popularised by his master. The print serves as a record of the urban environment of Edo, documenting the visual culture of the theatre district. The attention to detail in the banners and the architectural structures provides insight into the commercial and social activities of the time. The print is a characteristic example of the late Edo period, where the focus shifted towards the documentation of specific urban locales and their associated cultural activities.