Foreigners' Residence, Yokohama, 1861

by Yoshikazu (active circa 1850 - 1870)

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Foreigners' Residence, Yokohama, 1861 by Yoshikazu (active circa 1850 - 1870)

Original Yoshikazu (active circa 1850 - 1870) Japanese Woodblock Print
Foreigners' Residence, Yokohama, 1861

Yokohama-e - Yokohama-e are prints depicting foreigners in Yokohama after Japan was opened to trade with the West the 1850s. Previously, Japan had been closed to international trade with only a few strict exceptions, leading to curiosity among the Japanese about the new foreign arrivals and their strange clothing and customs. Many Yokohama-e designs featured people from the "Five Nations," the five countries that signed trade treaties with Japan in 1858: America, England, the Netherlands, Russia, and France. Others were fanciful depictions of foreign cities, often based on Western illustrations rather than direct observation. These prints proved popular, with hundreds of Yokohama-e published between 1859 and about 1880. These wonderful images provide a great look at this historic time period, using the traditional art form of Japanese woodblock prints to record a new subject.

Comments - Terrific triptych depicting life inside a foreigners' residence in Yokohama. At lower left, a group enjoys a sumptuous meal set out on two cloth-covered tables while a man plays a cello. At right, men are busy in a kitchen as a servant waits with a bowl in her hand. One man fills a bucket with a stream of sake from a straw-wrapped cask, while another works at a counter with a large knife. Another fellow sits on a wooden crate as he tends a stove where pans of food are cooking. In an inside room just beyond, a man is being shaved. A fascinating image of Westerners in Yokohama, with a wonderfully detailed setting.

Artist - Yoshikazu (active circa 1850 - 1870)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 29" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Three separate panels. Folds at corners. A few holes, repaired. Slight soiling and creasing, stains. Please see photos for details.

Foreigners' Residence, Yokohama, 1861 by Yoshikazu (active circa 1850 - 1870)
Foreigners' Residence, Yokohama, 1861 by Yoshikazu (active circa 1850 - 1870)

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