While in the midst of a multi-year rennovation/expansion, the Phillips Collection continues to host interesting and modest shows. The Hiroshige wood prints is a delightful example. The show features the 55 prints from Ando Hiroshige's first major series: Tokaido, scenes from the highway between Edo and Kyoto -- the Hoeido edition. The images cover the movements of travelers and pilgrims in all seasons and all forms of weather. Hiroshige's trademark depictions of rain, snow, and fog all present in the series. As is a lively mix of majestic rural and bustling urban moments along this road.
These carefully crafted images with their subtle coloration and stylized, assymetrical compositions are thoughtfully juxtaposed next to works from the Phillips Collection. Works by a variety of artists, mostly in oils, with some gauche, watercolor, and a lone print by Whistler. As lovely as the Hiroshige prints are, I will confess that some of these other works, rarely displayed (many of which I had never seen before except in print) where the gems of the show.
There were two of the PC's 5 Charles Burchfield watercolors: one a nocturne and the other a rural landscape, both repleat with his trademark egnimatic symbolism. There was a lovely intimate Paris street scene by Pierre Bonnard, several Twachtman's, a couple of atypical and gently beautiful works by Augustus Vincent Tack, two stunning guaches by Herald Weston, and a simply exquisite Gaugan entitled "Bathers and Fishermen".
A great way to spend a hot, humid afternoon. Unfortunately, there was not a catelogue, but you can find all 55 images of Ando Hiroshige at:
www.hiroshige.org.uk/hiroshige/
From there you want "The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido Road," and then the top link "Hoeido Edition (1831-4)" will take you to the ones on display at the Phillips Collection. This is a great website for all of his work...easy to get lost there, too.
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