landscape; figures on small boats in a crowded cluster; buildings on opposite bank in background

%C2%A9 It%C5%8D Shinsui

Marutapura River in Borneo, 1943

Not on Viewexpand_more

As a member of the Navy Information Team, Shinsui traveled to Southeast Asia in April 1943. An album of sketches dated to late June seems to have been the basis for a set of three prints published later that year by Watanabe. In his peaceful and idyllic views of the islands of Celebes (today Sulawesi), Java, and Borneo, he entirely ignored the actual situation, omitting any trace of the Japanese occupation, which had begun in the spring of 1942. Before that, these islands were under Dutch control. The Indonesians resented the Dutch, so possibly the Japanese slogan to be “the leader of Asia, the protector of Asia, the light of Asia” might have sounded appealing at first.

Details
Title
Marutapura River in Borneo
Artist Life
1898 - 1972
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2002.161.171
Curator Approved

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landscape; figures on small boats in a crowded cluster; buildings on opposite bank in background

© Itō Shinsui

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