Shinpan Ukie Mimeguri Ushi no Gozenryousha no Zu

A print from the Shinpan Ukie series printed from the original Iseya Rihee woodblock. Ukie, which means “floating picture,” are prints using the ukiyoe techniques to which Western styles of perspective have been added, and they are so named as the foreground seems to stand out as if floating. Katsushika Hokusai created this print between 1804 and 1918 when he was around 50 years old. Only the top of the torii gate can be seen in the foreground, but the impressive Mimeguri Shrine was a famous place along the Sumida River, and many people attended the “Hatsuuma Festival”, which was known as Tanaka Inari, held in February every year. This was particularly popular in 1799, and it is said that Hokusai donated this work to it. [Ushi Gozen] (currently Ushijima Shrine) is written at the back of the left-hand side of the print.