Genres of Paintings Painting Genres    

Lesson 8: Cityscape - Night View of Saruwaka-machi

by Utagawa Hiroshige

Directions

Study the artwork for one week.

Over the week:

• Examine the artwork.
• Read the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Recite the artist and artwork names.
• Read about the artwork's genre.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

Utagawa Hiroshige's 'Night View of Saruwaka-machi' depicts a scene from Saruwaka-machi, a theater town from years past in Japan. A busy street divides kabuki theaters on the right and teahouses on the left. A watchful dog stands guard over a group of rollicking puppies. A full moon lingers over the people milling in the street, casting shadows toward the viewer. Some people carry glowing red and white lanterns to light the way home. 'Night View of Saruwaka-machi' is a woodblock print. Rather than being painted directly upon paper with a brush, the image is carved in relief from wood, similar to a rubber stamp. Ink is applied to the wooden block, and then the block is pressed upon paper. This work falls into an art genre called ukiyo-e, which features images such as beautiful ladies, sumo wrestlers, folk stories, landscapes, and in this case, a cityscape.

Vocabulary

Kabuki: A form of traditional Japanese drama with highly stylized song, mime, and dance, now performed only by male actors, using exaggerated gestures and body movements to express emotions, and including historical plays, domestic dramas, and dance pieces.
Teahouse: A place serving tea and other refreshments.
Ukiyo-e: A school of Japanese art depicting subjects from everyday life, dominant in the 17th–19th centuries.

Concepts

1. Cityscape artwork depicts the buildings, people, streets, urban transportation, and activities of large cities.
2. Artwork featuring smaller towns may be referred to as townscapes.
3. Cityscapes were recognized as a distinct genre of art starting in the Netherlands in the 17th century.
4. Cityscapes show multiple vantage points, including bird's eye views, panoramic views, street-level views, or window-level views.
5. Examine Erwin Pendl's bird's eye cityscape drawing, 'Bird's-Eye View of Vienna from Getreidemarkt,' Louis-Léopold Boilly's street-level cityscape, 'Passer Payez,' and Camille Pissarro's window-level view cityscape, 'Boulevard Montmartre.'

Enrichment

Activity 1: Can You Find It?

Zoom in to find the following in the artwork:

• Lanterns
• Dog
• Puppies
• Teahouses
• Kabuki Theaters
• Moon
• Shadows

Activity 2: Narrate the Artwork

• After studying the artwork, narrate the scene shown aloud using your own words.

Activity 3: Map the Artwork

Zoom in to find the country of Japan.

Activity 4: Color the Map of Japan   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 17 of 'Art History Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 5: Color the Artwork   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 18 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'

Activity 6: Create Your Own Cityscape   

• Click the crayon above and complete page 19 of 'Third Grade Art History Coloring Book.'
• Using crayons, color pencils, pastels, or paint, create your own cityscape.
• Beforehand, discuss whether you plan to create a bird's eye view, a panoramic view, a street-level view, or a window-level view.
• Think about the buildings, people, streets, and other features you wish to incorporate.
• You might decide to create a picture of a real city, an imaginary city, or a real city with imaginary embellishments.

Review

Question 1

Who are the characters in the artwork?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The characters are teahouse waitresses, entertainers, and customers milling outdoors in a theater district.

1 / 5

Question 2

What is the setting of the artwork?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The setting is the former city of Saruwaka-machi.

2 / 5

Question 3

What casts shadows in the artwork?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The moon casts shadows in the artwork.

3 / 5

Question 4

What is the vantage point in the painting - bird's eye, panoramic, window-level, or street-level?

4 / 5

Answer 4

This painting shows a street-level view of Saruwaka-machi.

4 / 5

Question 5

Into which genre is this painting classified?

5 / 5

Answer 5

This painting falls into the cityscape genre.

5 / 5

❮ ❯

1. Who are the characters in the artwork? The characters are teahouse waitresses, entertainers, and customers milling outdoors in a theater district.
2. What is the setting of the artwork? The setting is the former city of Saruwaka-machi.
3. What casts shadows in the artwork? The moon casts shadows in the artwork.
4. What is the vantage point in the painting - bird's eye, panoramic, window-level, or street-level? This painting shows a street-level view of Saruwaka-machi.
5. Into which genre is this painting classified? This painting falls into the cityscape genre.

References

'Cityscape.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Night View of Saruwaka-machi.' Brooklyn Museum. https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/121704. n.p.