Port of London, England, 1862, 6th lunar month
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Gift of Markle Karlenexpand_more 2012.75e
Not on Viewexpand_more
After the opening of Japan to the West in the 1850s, pictures of foreigners became a popular motif for woodblock prints. Such images were called Yokohama-e or “Yokohama pictures,” because the major port city of Yokohama teemed with foreigners. They showed the modern world, including foreigners both in Japan and in their home countries, as Japanese artists—who did not travel there themselves—imagined them. This particular scene is supposed to illustrate the port of London with its majestic ships in the left background and a variety of people in the foreground, among them soldiers on horseback or foot. As the contemporary Japanese buyer would not have been familiar with this scene, a cartouche (written description) with information on England was integrated in the design at the top of the center sheet, written by Kanagaki Robun (1829–94), a journalist and author of humorous fiction.
Details
- Title
- Port of London, England
- Artist Life
- fl. c.1836 - 1882
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2012.75e
- Curator Approved
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