Pro-Foreign vs Anti-Foreign Trade: a Fūshi-e

US$785.00

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Ukiyo no Nami Yume no Uranai ["A Dream Omen of the Floating World"]

[Kawanabe, Kyōsai (attributed to)].

[Edo (Tōkyō)?: publisher unidentified, ca. Bunkyū 3 (1863)].

A comical fūshi-e featuring people whose businesses have been negatively impacted by the arrival of foreigners in Japan (including geisha, moneylenders, cooks, actors, and leisure business owners) on the left and those who have benefitted from the arrival of foreigners (cart dealers, boatmen, luggage-bearers) on the right. The left faction attempts to strike a cowering foreign merchant while the right tries to protect him. The artist's political opinion is evident from the fact that the foreigner is captioned as the warumono ("bad guy"). The characters' kimono are patterned with motifs that indicate their professions. The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library attributes the print to Kyōsai from a name seal that appears in the lower-left corner of their impression, but which is absent from this one. An interesting record of contemporary receptions to the opening of Japan to foreign trade.

One ōban leaf, complete. Light discolouration, margins trimmed, minor fading to extremities, backed on washi paper. 35.5 x 24.4 cm.

Pro-Foreign vs Anti-Foreign Trade: a Fūshi-e
Price: $785.00 (USD)