Shosha - AmerikajinTITLE TRANSLATION:True picture of Americans. – Historic Reproduction
(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
This historic print of Shosha - AmerikajinTITLE TRANSLATION:True picture of Americans. brings a moment of history to your wall. It comes from the collections of the Library of Congress, scanned from the original and carefully restored.
The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. It makes a striking addition to a living room, study or office, and a thoughtful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Snapshots of the Past has been bringing history to the wall since 2001, for tens of thousands of customers worldwide.
Shosha - AmerikajinTITLE TRANSLATION:True picture of Americans.
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This 1861 woodcut, titled *Shosha: Amerikajin* and translated in its record as "True picture of Americans," focuses on the Western clothing and smoking that catch the eye of its subjects. Such prints promised realism, but they were usually exaggerated for comic or curious effect. Yokohama had opened to foreign trade only in 1859, and prints of foreigners, known as *ijinga*, gave townspeople a popular way to view newcomers' unfamiliar dress and habits. The record lists three artists, and the signature points to the Yokohama-e tradition, so the attribution is worth reading with some caution.
| Created / published | 1861 |
|---|---|
| Creator | Toyohara Kunichika 1835-1900 artist.Utagawa Kuniaki 1835-1888 artist.Utagawa Toyokuni 1786-1865 artist. |
| Medium | 1 print on hōsho paper : woodcut color ; 33.5 x 23 cm. (block) 37.5 x 25.3 cm. (sheet) |
| Notes | Title from item. Signature: Issen Yoshikazu ga. Seal date: Cock 4. Annotations stamps etc. on verso of print: 90; 47623a. DLC Earlier control number: 9942.25-10. Gift; Mrs. E. Crane Chadbourne; 1930; (DLC/PP-1930:47623a). Forms part of: Chadbourne collection of Japanese prints (Library of Congress). |
| Subjects | Foreign visitors--American--Japan--1860-1870. Americans--Clothing & dress--Japan--1860-1870. Smoking--Japan--1860-1870. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Japanese Fine Prints |
| Original scan | 3,983 × 5,000 px · prints to 13 × 17 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-JFP-227234 |
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