Artwork

見立多以尽 - 洋行がしたい|Collection of Desires, Wish for Foreign Travel (Mitate Tai zukushi-yōkō ga shitai)

見立多以尽 - 洋行がしたい|Collection of Desires, Wish for Foreign Travel (Mitate Tai zukushi-yōkō ga shitai) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Yoshitoshi. It dates from 1878 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Produced shortly after Japan ended its policy of national isolation, the print reflects the era's intense curiosity about Western culture and technology.

Mitate Tai zukushi-yōkō ga shitai (Collection of Desires, Wish for Foreign Travel) is a woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, created in 1878 during the early Meiji period. The work depicts a woman in a vibrant red kimono leaning over a stack of books, her face illuminated by an unseen light source. The open pages display illustrations of Western ships and foreign landscapes, symbolizing the allure of the outside world. Produced shortly after Japan ended its policy of national isolation, the print reflects the era's intense curiosity about Western culture and technology. Yoshitoshi employs the mitate technique, recontextualizing traditional imagery to address contemporary themes of modernization and desire. The composition balances the intimate domestic setting with the expansive, imagined geography of the books, highlighting the tension between tradition and the encroaching modern age. This piece is a significant example of Yoshitoshi's late career output, demonstrating his ability to adapt ukiyo-e conventions to the rapidly changing social landscape of Meiji Japan. It captures the specific historical moment when foreign travel and Western knowledge became objects of fascination for the Japanese public.

Subject & Meaning

The figure’s gaze is directed toward pages that depict Western vessels and exotic landscapes, suggesting a yearning to experience lands beyond Japan’s shores. The print visualizes the personal allure of foreign travel that many Japanese felt as the nation opened to international contact.

Technique & Style

Yoshitoshi employs the traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock process, combining line work with layered pigments to achieve the bright red kimono and the subtle illumination on the woman’s face. The detailed rendering of the book illustrations demonstrates his skill in integrating narrative content within the print’s decorative surface.

Context

Created shortly after the 1850s opening of Japanese ports, the image reflects the Meiji era’s fascination with Western technology and geography. Books served as primary conduits for information about distant countries, and the print captures that cultural moment of curiosity and transition.

Legacy

The work stands as an example of how ukiyo‑e artists adapted their visual language to address contemporary themes, bridging traditional portraiture with the modern desire for global awareness. It continues to be cited in studies of Meiji‑period visual culture and the diffusion of foreign knowledge in Japan.