Haneda Ferry and Benten Shrine (Haneda no Watashi Benten), No. 72 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
Utagawa Hiroshige
Asian Art
The viewpoint here is that of a passenger (suggested by the parasol to the lower right) riding the ferry south from the village of Haneda. The lighthouse in the distance warns of the spit of land projecting from the left. Nestled among the trees at the end of the spit is a shrine to Benten, the goddess of water, music, and literature. Like so many boats in traditional Japan, the ferry is propelled by a single scull, or oar, about ten or twelve feet long. The scull was fitted along the shaft with a wooden socket that pivoted on a protruding ball mounted in the stern. A rope, looped around a peg on the scull, counterbalanced the weight of the blade and stabilized the rhythmic twisting action needed to manipulate it.
MEDIUM
Woodblock print
DATES
8th month of 1858
PERIOD
Edo Period, Ansei Era
DIMENSIONS
Sheet: 14 1/4 x 9 1/4 in. (36.2 x 23.5 cm)
Image: 13 1/4 x 8 7/8 in. (33.7 x 22.5 cm)
(show scale)
MARKINGS
No publisher's seal visible, probably lost when left margin was trimmed.
SIGNATURE
Hiroshige-ga
ACCESSION NUMBER
30.1478.72
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Anna Ferris
PROVENANCE
Prior to 1930, provenance not yet documented; by 1930, acquired by Anna Ferris of Summit, NJ; 1930, gift of Anna Ferris to the Brooklyn Museum.
Provenance FAQ
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
This unusual image shows a ferryman propelling a scull from the fishing village of Haneda, across the mouth of the Tama River. The ferryman's hairy limbs have provoked varied responses from viewers. The scull, depicted here, was some ten or twelve feet long, fitted with a wooden socket that pivoted on a protruding ball in the stern. To counterbalance the weight of the blade and to stabilize the rhythmic action needed to manipulate it, boatmen used a rope looped around a peg, seen falling vertically at center. In the distance, a lighthouse warns of the land projecting from the left. Nestled among the trees is the Haneda Benten Shrine (Benton is the goddess of water and beauty). Today this area is marked by Benten Bridge at the entrance to Haneda International Airport. The shrine itself was moved to the west when the airport was expanded in 1948.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Utagawa Hiroshige (Japanese, 1797–1858). Haneda Ferry and Benten Shrine (Haneda no Watashi Benten), No. 72 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 8th month of 1858. Woodblock print, Sheet: 14 1/4 x 9 1/4 in. (36.2 x 23.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.72 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 30.1478.72_PS20.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 30.1478.72_PS20.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2023
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