Description
The 260 small pine-covered islands of Matsushima Bay (松島湾), in Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県), are considered one of the most scenic sights in Japan. A well-known haiku (俳句) composition describes the landscape as so striking that the poet, at a loss for words, can only repeat, three times, a single expression of amazement: «Matsushima ah! Ah, Matsushima, ah! Matsushima, ah!» (松島や ああ松島や 松島や).
A detail of the famous scenery is depicted here in a work made, in November 1896, by the artist Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親). The woodblock print is taken from the series “Collection of Views of Famous Places in Japan” (日本名所図会) and was produced by the publisher Matsuki Heikichi (松木平吉), owner of Daikokuya (大黒屋).
The print on Japanese washi paper (和紙), despite the right signs of aging, is in overall very good condition.