SHIBA STORY
SAILS AND SHORELINES
I've mentioned before that the Eight views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers a traditional subject for Chinese painting was adopted by Japanese painters and poets. However in Japan the Konoe family promoted an Omi Hakkei, a set of 8 views of scenic spots near Lake Biwa and Otsu, and this in turn led to other sets of views, extending to sets of 8 Views of Edo, and later sets of 36 or 100.
Now the Edo Hakkei substituted local scenes and in this print the Sails Returning to Yabase theme has become Sails returning to Shiba. Shiba is now INLAND and that entire shore line replaced by landfill and artificial islands apart from one section to the north adjacent to two famous gardens ad thats fronted by embankments.
Its very Ukiyo-e that the boats are mainly cargo ships The print by the way is by Eisen!
I doubt you could see Fuji from Shiba or even out in Tokyo bay nowadays as clearly as this so not only is it a beautiful landscape print but also a useful historical record of Tokyo's changed shorelines and an image of older style shipping and how wooden sail ships worked so there's a good view of the rudder and rigging.
ENJOY
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