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Photo: britishmuseum.orgThe British Museum's exhibition of art by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) will explore the beauty of the Japanese landscape and the pleasures of urban life.
Born the son of a low-ranking samurai, Hiroshige lived in a country that was about to change forever as it was forced to confront the encroaching world. His calm and peaceful paintings reassured people at every level of society, helping him to become one of the country's most popular artists.
Photo: britishmuseum.orgHe travelled widely to create his evocative landscapes, beautiful bird-and-flower prints, and energetic city scenes, and revelled in the small adventures that travel sometimes affords - even crossing social boundaries to meet new people and depict their most popular customs.
Photo: britishmuseum.orgHe didn't just portray the world as it was, but he also imagined it in a way that it could be, so he could take the viewer away from the stresses and strains of everyday life to a place that was more dignified. "While my drawings are abridged in many places," he explained, "they show entirely true-to-life landscapes in order to give others a few moments of pleasure without the inconvenience of a long journey".
Photo: britishmuseum.orgHis skills with the brush underpinned thousands of prints, hundreds of paintings and dozens of illustrated books, and by working closely with block-cutters and printers he achieved effects that give his works the appearance of miniature paintings.
How to get to the British Museum
| Fare zone | Cash | Oyster & Contactless | Travelcard | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single fare | Single fare | Daily cap | One day | ||||
| Peak | Off-peak | Peak | Off-peak | Anytime | Off-peak | ||
| Bus (all zones) | n/a | £1.75 | £5.25 | £6 | |||
| Train (zone 1) | £7 | £2.90 | £2.80 | £8.90 | £8.90 | £16.60(zone 1-4) | £16.60(zone 1-6) |
| Train (zone 1-2) | £7 | £3.50 | £2.90 | £8.90 | £8.90 | ||
| Train (zone 1-3) | £7 | £3.80 | £3.10 | £10.50 | £10.50 | ||
| Train (zone 1-4) | £7 | £4.60 | £3.40 | £12.80 | £12.80 | ||
| Train (zone 1-5) | £7 | £5.20 | £3.60 | £15.30 | £15.30 | £23.60(zone 1-6) | |
| Train (zone 1-6) | £7 | £5.80* | £3.80* | £16.30 | £16.30 | ||
| * Journeys between zone 1 and Heathrow are always charged at the peak rate. Prices are correct as of | |||||||
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