Utagawa Hiroshige II (Japan, 1826-1869) Print, oban tate-e, from the series Shokoku meisho hyakkei ( 諸國名所百景), The Hundred Famous Views of the Various Provinces, plate Bungo Hida Kokebuchi (豊後日田苔渕), Kokebuchi, Hida, Bungo. Signed Hiroshige ga. Publisher Sakanaya Eikichi, and stamp Shitaya Uo-Ei. First edition. 1861 (Minor restoration). Size 36,5 x 25,1 cm Hiroshige died in 1858, on the 6th day of the 9th lunar month. In the following months, his pupil Shigenobu (Suzuki Chinpei, 1826-1869) succeeded him, married his adopted daughter Tatsu (or Otatsu) and became Hiroshige II. Encouraged by the success of Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, the publisher Sakanaya commissioned Hiroshige II to produce a series of suites in the same format illustrating views of the provinces. Although the number of drawings in the Edo series exceeded the "hundred" announced in the title, no more than eighty-one prints are known from this set. Nevertheless, the series serves as an example of Hiroshige II's work as an artist carrying on Hiroshige's legacy, and it is clear that Sakanaya's involvement guaranteed prints of the highest quality. Hiroshige II drew heavily on his master's earlier works for some of his drawings. Reference: A similar print in the Edo-Tokyo Museum, no. 90203668