Artwork

外国人物図畫仏蘭西|France, from the series Pictures of People from Foreign Lands (Gaikoku jinbutsu zuga)

外国人物図畫仏蘭西|France, from the series Pictures of People from Foreign Lands (Gaikoku jinbutsu zuga) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Utagawa Yoshitora. It dates from 1865 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Utagawa Yoshitora's 1865 woodblock print, 'France' from the series 'Pictures of People from Foreign Lands', depicts two figures in European attire, blending Japanese artistic techniques with foreign subjects.

Subject & Meaning

The print shows a man and woman side by side, with the man dressed in formal, dark European clothing and the woman in a vibrant, stylized red dress and tall feathered hat, conveying a Japanese interpretation of French fashion.

Technique & Style

Characterized by bold colors (reds, blues, golds), flat areas of color, and simple outlines, the print exemplifies Yoshitora's blend of traditional Japanese woodblock printing with Western-inspired imagery.

History & Provenance

Created in 1865, the print is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, highlighting Japan's growing interest in Western cultures during this period.

Context

Part of 'Pictures of People from Foreign Lands', this work reflects late 19th-century Japan's openness to European influences, as artists like Yoshitora incorporated foreign elements into traditional mediums.