Voiles au large d’un port de Californie, Amérique (Sails off the Shores of a Californian Port, America), vers 1861-1864

Utagawa Sadahide (1807-1879) is a Japanese artist who excelled in port and landscape views. He is an important representative of the Ukiyo-e, style that characterizes Japanese print techniques and wood paintings from the end of the 17th century to the end of the 19th century.
This triptych represents sailboats, off the shores of a Californian port. The artist uses the Western perspective (a vanishing point).
Before the black mass of the prow of a ship, a colorful crowd waits for the travellers approaching the port. The dark flattened effects of the hulls contrast with the blue waves of the sea, giving the impression of vitality and movement. A strong horizontal line, formed by the buildings and the horizon, separates the composition into two parts: sea and sky.