Tsukuda Island (Tsukudajima) - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Archival giclée
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Description
A woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicting a boat near Tsukuda Island, framed by large wooden bridge pilings against a blue evening sky.
This woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi depicts the coastal area of Tsukuda Island, a location in Edo, modern-day Tokyo. The composition employs a framing device, using the massive, dark wooden pilings of a bridge or pier to create a foreground that draws the eye toward the water. Between these structural elements, a small boat carries passengers across the bay. The figures are rendered with the characteristic line work of the Ukiyo-e tradition, showing the artist's attention to human gesture and movement.
Kuniyoshi includes an unusual atmospheric detail: small, rectangular slips of paper are scattered across the scene, drifting through the air and settling on the water. This element adds a layer of narrative mystery to the otherwise serene maritime view. In the distance, the low silhouette of the island sits against a clear sky, while other vessels with sails are visible, suggesting the busy maritime traffic of the period. The colour palette is dominated by shades of indigo and blue, which define the water and the evening sky, contrasted by the warm, earthy tones of the wooden supports and the boat.
As a member of the Utagawa school, Kuniyoshi was known for his technical skill and his ability to integrate Western-influenced perspective with traditional Japanese aesthetics. This print belongs to the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital, which documented the geography and daily life of Edo. The work captures a specific moment of quiet activity, balancing the architectural weight of the foreground with the open expanse of the bay. The print demonstrates the precision of the woodblock medium, where every line and colour block contributes to the overall spatial arrangement of the scene.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Tsukuda Island (Tsukudajima) - Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Artist Biography
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
For the first thirteen years he struggled. The breakthrough came in 1827 with a commission to illustrate the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden, a Chinese adventure novel. He drew tattooed warriors in dynamic poses that broke out of the frame, the tattoos rendered with a detail that started a fashion in Edo. The series was enormously popular and established him as the leading designer of warrior prints.
He loved cats. His studio was always full of them, and he often worked with a kitten tucked inside his kimono. When a cat died, he sent it to a nearby temple, and he kept a Buddhist altar for his deceased cats at home. Cats appear constantly in his prints: as substitute actors in kabuki scenes, as letter-forms in playful alphabets, as parodies of famous paintings. Government censorship in the 1840s prohibited the depiction of actors and courtesans by name, so Kuniyoshi gave them cat faces, which was technically legal and funnier.
His range was unusual for an ukiyo-e artist. Warriors, landscapes, beautiful women, ghosts, satirical cartoons, cats. He was equally comfortable with the heroic and the absurd, sometimes on the same sheet. His triptych of the giant skeleton spectre, from the tale of Takiyasha the Witch, is one of the most reproduced images in Japanese art.
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