『万国衣装鑑』|Mirror of National Costumes of All Nations (Bankoku ishō kagami)

Kobayashi Kiyochika

1882 · Triptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper · Asian Art

These prints show the Japanese imperial couple surrounded by people in national costumes from around the world, some of which are identified in the red cartouches (from right to left): France, India, Korea, Britain, Japan (Dai Nippon), China, “Arabia,” Africa, America, and Russia. In keeping with the effort to be viewed as a modern leader, the emperor sports a mustache and beard and is dressed in a black field officer’s uniform. The empress, on the other hand, wears traditional court garments and holds a large painted fan.

Artist

Kobayashi Kiyochika

Date

1882

Medium

Triptych of woodblock prints (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of William S. Lieberman, 2005