The Meiji Era is considered to mark one of the low points of ukiyo-e, Japan's distinctive art of woodblock prints. This, however, is not apparent from the current exhibition at the Ota Memorial Museum.
Titled "Ukiyo-e at the Turn of the 20th Century," the exhibition has quite a wide focus, ranging from the late Edo Period to the early Showa Era. This was a time when Japan lost confidence in itself and turned its back on many of its traditions in a desperate effort to catch up with the Western nations. As it regained confidence, the country turned once again to cherish its traditions.
"The Girl Tojin Okichi," by Kiyoshi Kobayakawa (1898-1948), shows a girl passively playing the shamisen as an American kurofune (black ship) lurks on the horizon. This nonchalance is in marked contrast to the excitement of an earlier print by Utagawa Sadahide (1807-1873). This shows a seascape alive with boats, dominated by a giant American paddle steamer, magnified in the mind of the artist to titanic proportions. This accurately reflects the deep psychological impact that foreign sea power must have had on the Japanese mind.