<b>BATS AND MOON</b> / Ando Hiroshigec. 1840<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Hiroshige is known for producing some of Ukiyo-e’s most beautiful and important landscapes, but in this design, the artist demonstrates his sensitivity for wildlife by presenting us with a stunning kacho-e (bird and flower illustration). With short, thin, and fragile lines, the artist creates the soft and delicate contours of bat's wings that flutter and scoop up the night air. Out in the distance, gray clouds appear as cave-like orifices overhead. All the while, the pale moon at the top left anchors and illuminates the composition. As with many Hiroshige prints, this design features an asymmetrical composition where a portion of the design is much closer to the viewer. In this case, the top of a thatch roof protrudes out toward the viewer and sets the stage, drawing the eye upwards towards the night sky, highlighting the domain of the bat.

Connoisseur's Note

Though Hiroshige excelled at kacho-e, his designs for this genre were quite limited, and the number of impressions for each of these prints were a mere fraction of his landscapes. This impression, in particular, is quite early, as the lines throughout the composition, most evident in the outline of the bats, the moon, as well as the calligraphy are all sharp and intact. The bokashi color gradation at the bottom left, celebrates the atmospheric qualities capable in woodblock prints which happen to be found in all of Hiroshige’s most noteworthy designs.