{"product_id":"okitsu-section-of-sheet-no-5-from-the-series-cutouts-of-the-fifty-three-stations-utagawa-hiroshige","title":"Okitsu, section of sheet no. 5 from the series Cutouts of the Fifty-three Stations - Utagawa Hiroshige","description":"\u003cp\u003eA woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige depicting the coastal waters of Okitsu, originally designed as part of a collectible series of cutouts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print is a fragment from the series Gojusan tsugi harimaze, or Cutouts of the Fifty-three Stations. Utagawa Hiroshige, a master of the Ukiyo-e tradition, designed this series as a collection of smaller, individual images intended to be cut out and pasted into scrapbooks or albums. The format reflects a popular pastime in mid-nineteenth-century Japan, where collectors curated personal visual journals of their travels or interests.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe scene depicts the coastal area of Okitsu, one of the stations along the Tokaido road. Hiroshige captures the turbulent movement of the sea as it crashes against dark, jagged rock formations. The composition relies on the contrast between the deep, saturated blues of the water and the muted, earthy tones of the shoreline. Stylised white foam patterns define the crests of the waves, demonstrating the artist's ability to simplify complex natural forms into graphic, readable shapes. The upper portion of the print features Japanese calligraphy, which provides context for the location and adds a balanced, vertical element to the overall design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnically, the print exhibits the refined block-cutting and printing methods common to the Edo period. The colour palette is restrained, relying on a limited range of pigments to convey the atmosphere of the coast. By focusing on a specific, isolated section of the coastline, Hiroshige invites the viewer to observe the rhythmic power of the ocean. This work provides an example of how Ukiyo-e artists adapted their practice to suit the changing habits of their audience, moving from large-scale series to these smaller, more portable formats. The print remains a representative example of Hiroshige's late-career output, where he continued to explore the relationship between human travel and the natural environment of Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/a-book-on-flower-arrangement-hares-foot-fern-yoshida-togetsu\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eA Book on Flower Arrangement: Hare's-Foot Fern - Yoshida Tōgetsu — Yoshida Tōgetsu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/throwing-the-shuttle-suzuki-harunobu\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThrowing the Shuttle - Suzuki Harunobu — Suzuki Harunobu\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Utagawa Hiroshige","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58956682494287,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58957045825871,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58957045858639,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58957045891407,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58957045924175,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58957045956943,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58957045989711,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58957046022479,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58957046055247,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58957046088015,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58957046120783,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58957046153551,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Okitsu-section-of-sheet-no_Poster_CompositorV1_1790741552514.jpg?v=1790742450","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/okitsu-section-of-sheet-no-5-from-the-series-cutouts-of-the-fifty-three-stations-utagawa-hiroshige","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}