Sakanoshita: Throwing Away the Brush Peak - Utagawa Hiroshige

This woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige, titled *Sakanoshita: Throwing Away the Brush Peak*, captures a serene scene along the Tōkaidō road, featuring towering mountains, a cascading waterfall, and travellers at a roadside tea house.

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, considered the last great master of that tradition. He is best known for his horizontal-format travel prints of the Japanese countryside, particularly his series *The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō* and *The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō*. These works capture the essence of daily life and the natural beauty of Japan, influencing later Western artists with their innovative compositions and use of colour. Hiroshige's ability to evoke atmosphere and emotion through his prints secured his place as one of the most important figures in Japanese art. *Sakanoshita: Throwing Away the Brush Peak* depicts a scene along the Tōkaidō road. The composition features a towering mountain range in the background, rendered in shades of blue and grey. A waterfall cascades down the mountainside, adding a dynamic element to the otherwise serene setting. In the foreground, figures are seen travelling along a path, while others rest at a roadside tea house. The print showcases Hiroshige's skill in capturing the vastness of the natural world and the smallness of human existence within it. The delicate lines and subtle colour gradations create a sense of depth and atmosphere, inviting the viewer to step into the scene.