Utagawa Hiroshige II
Japanese, 1826-69
Homing Geese at Shirahige
From the series Eight Views of the Sumida River, 1861
Color woodblock print
Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr. P.75.51.663

Eight-View Series

Saturday, March 3, 2012—Sunday, June 24, 2012
Louis W Hill Jr. Gallery of Japanese Prints, Gallery 239
Free Exhibition

Creating views of various locales in sets of eight has a long history in Japan. The concept originated in China during the Song dynasty, with a cycle of eight poems lauding the beauty at the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. The area where these rivers meet—in Hunan Province, in southeastern China—became a favorite subject for painters, who followed the themes established in the poems. The Chinese paintings inspired artists in other East Asian countries to adapt the eight themes to their local landscapes.

In Japan, the Eight Views of Omi (Omi hakkei) was the first such series. The scenery around Lake Biwa, the country's largest lake, located in Omi Province, resembled the Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang. By the late 17th century, the Eight Views of Omi was a well-known subject among Japanese painters and print designers. Later, artists also depicted eight views of other places, such as the oceanside town of Kanazawa and the Sumida River in Edo. Whatever the location, the images echoed the original eight themes: homing geese, returning sailboats, clearing weather, evening snow, autumn moon, night rain, evening bells, and evening glow.