One such artist who painted bamboo was Ando Hiroshige (1797 – 1858), a famous Japanese artist who painted landscapes including bamboo plants into graceful, poetic forms.  As a young man Hiroshige took over his father’s firefighting job and was orphaned at the age of 12.  His role model was the esteemed Hokusai and inspired him to become an artist.   He originally depicted traditional subjects such as young women and actors, and later won fame as a landscape artist. Hiroshige’s techniques utilized unusual vantage points, striking colors and realistic depth. Tourism was becoming popular, and Hiroshige drew upon his own travels to create an astounding 5,400 prints.