Coronation of Emperor Taisho, Nov. 10, 1915, unknown maker from Japan

Exhibition Label:
"Tradition and Modernity: Japanese Art of the Early Twentieth Century," Jan-2005, Hillary Pedersen
Images of the Japanese emperor before the Meiji period (1868-1912) were extremely rare, as it was important for him to maintain an aura of mysterious, unquestionable authority. The Meiji emperor was the first to have his likeness reproduced, often while wearing Western-style military officer clothing which connected him to the modern world. During the reign of the Taisho emperor (1912-1926), however, there was a resurgence of older traditions that some saw as being lost to modernization. The Taisho emperor and empress depicted in this handscroll wear Heian period (794-1185) clothing, such as the multi-layered kimono. The cameo-style photographs contrast with the rest of the handscroll, which is printed with multiple woodblocks. By connecting himself both to tradition, seen in the Heian-style clothing and the millennia-old handscroll painting format, and to modern technology, such as photography, the emperor posits himself as both the steward of ancient culture and the host of new technological innovations.