The Exposed Buddha at Jōsen Temple c. 1835
Hiroshige’s most famous landscape prints featured views beyond the capital. In this print, he depicts the Great Buddha at Kamakura, a huge bronze statue that was originally built in the 13th century at the Kōtoku Temple. The bronze Buddha was originally housed in the Great Buddha Hall, but the structure was damaged by typhoons in 1334 and 1369 and then completely washed away in 1498 from a tsunami caused by the Nankai Earthquake. The statue itself has also been damaged and repaired several times but it has sat exposed for over 500 years. As if to highlight the power and might of the natural elements, Hiroshige exercises artistic license by showing the iconic statue with the even more iconic and volcanic Mount Fuji in the distance.
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