Kōi godairei no zu (Picture of Noble's Imperial Ceremony), Watanabe Nobukazu

Exhibition Label:
“Transformations,” Feb-2006, Mary Dusenbury and Alison Miller
In the face of political challenges, appearance and dress can be used to craft national identity. During Japan’s Meiji period (1868-1912) many people were interested in Western culture and the integrating of new technologies and ideas into Japan. Debates raged about how much outside culture should be allowed to infiltrate Japan, ranging from painting styles to technology to dress. In this image, the emperor, empress, and political officials wear Western dress while the women providing entertainment and serving tea wear traditional costume.

Archive Label date unknown:
Nobukazu designed prints of actors, beautiful women and battle scenes. He is best remembered for his Sino-Japanese War triptychs and for his skill in combining Japanese and Western pictorial techniques to convey a sense of realism.

This print depicts in the foreground a seated nobleman and the Meiji emperor and empress are seated behind him at a table. A woman kneels before the nobleman, offering him something on a tray. Flanking this scene are soldiers and musicians and throughout the triptych are auspicious motifs, including pine trees, tortoises and cranes (all symbols of long life).

The production of prints illustrating the imperial family and political events was forbidden in the Edo period (1615-1868). However, after the establishment of the Meiji period imperial and political images were commonly used to promote nationalism.