Fireworks at Ryogoku, from the series One Hundred Views of Famous Places in Edo, 1858. The Ryogoku Bridge, a repeated subject of Hiroshige’s prints, spanned the Sumida River connecting bustling Edo (present-day Tokyo) neighborhoods. Here, Hiroshige devoted nearly half the composition to the night sky glittering with fireworks. Restaurants and other businesses along the riverbank frequently sponsored these dazzling displays during the 1850s. The pyrotechnics drew large crowds, who gathered atop the bridge, along the shore, in teashops, and on rented pleasure boats to enjoy the show.

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Size: 5250px × 7954px
Photo credit: © Heritage Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1615-1868, 1797-1858, art, cleveland, colour, edo, heritage, hiroshige, japan, japanese, museum, period, print, utagawa, woodblock