Accession Number
1948/1.135

Title
Eight Views of Ômi: #2 Night Rain at Karasaki

Artist(s)
Utagawa Hiroshige

Artist Nationality
Japanese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
circa 1834

Medium & Support
color woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
9 in x 13 11/16 in (22.86 cm x 34.77 cm);14 3/8 in x 19 3/8 in (36.51 cm x 49.21 cm);11 1/8 in x 17 13/16 in (28.26 cm x 45.24 cm)

Credit Line
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

Label copy
The subtle tones in this print exemplify Hiroshige’s mastery of mood and atmosphere. The scene is a large and ancient pine tree on the small cape of Karasaki, seen through a sheet of rain. Karasaki is well known for this tree, which is revered by many as sacred and has a small shrine located nearby. In some versions of the print the pine tree is rendered a deep green, but here it is an ominous mass of blacks and grays. It is likely that the greener versions are experimental printings that did not achieve Hiroshige’s desired effect, or that he decided would not sell as well. The Eight Views of Omi was marketed as a series executed primarily in black and
gray tones, and this print is most likely from the collection released for sale to the public. In the upper left corner a poem completes the mood:
“Elsewhere will they talk of the music of the evening breeze
that has made the pine of Karasaki famous; the voice of the
wind is not heard through the sound of the rain in the night.”
Spring/Summer Gallery Rotation 2015
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The subtle tones and economical means in this print exemplify Hiroshige’s mastery of mood and atmosphere. The view of the great pine is almost blotted out by the heavy rain.
In some prints this pine is rendered a deep green, while here it is an ominous mass of blacks and grays. Since this series of prints was marketed as one executed with muted tones in a monochromatic style, this print is most likely from the collection released for sale to the public. It is likely that the greener versions were experimental printings that Hiroshige decided did not achieve his desired effect or would not sell as well.
In the upper left corner a poem completes the mood:

Elsewhere will they talk of the music of the evening breeze that has made the pine of Karasaki famous; the voice of the wind is not heard through the sound of the rain in the night.
exhibited summer 2010
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The subtle tones and economical means in this print exemplify Hiroshige’s mastery of mood and atmosphere. His far-reaching influence touched the French Impressionists’ style. The view of the great pine is almost blotted out by the heavy rain. The attendant poem:
Elsewhere will they talk of the music of the evening breeze
that has made the pine of Karasaki famous; the voice of the
wind is not heard through the sound of the rain in the night.

Subject matter
This print is one of eight that depicted the beauty of Ômi province, centered around Lake Biwa. Specifically, this print shows Karasaki, a small cape with a famous enormous pine tree, depicted here in the rain. The tree was said to be sacred and a small shrine is located on the island near the tree.

Physical Description
Vertical lines stream downward across the print indicate torrents of rain. The dark color pallette and black strip across the top indicate that the image is set at night. A giant tree on an island looms over the image, surrounded by water. A poem in the upper left corner reads:
"Elsewhere will they talk of the music of the evening breeze
that has made the pine of Karasaki famous; the voice of the
wind is not heard through the sound of the rain in the night."

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
color print

Additional Object Classification(s)
Print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Ukiyo-e
abstraction
landscapes (environments)
pine (wood)