Cherry Blossom Battle
1880
19th century
27 in. x 14 in. (68.58 cm x 35.56 cm)
Toyohara Chikanobu,
Japanese,
(1837–1912)
Object Type:
Prints
Creation Place:
Asia, Japan
Medium and Support:
color woodblock print on paper
Credit Line:
Carleton College Art Collection
Accession Number:
2004.014
In recent years, Carleton has started acquiring Japanese prints from the Meiji period of the late 19th century and very early 20th century. Our focus is on images of women, using art to help visualize gender roles and also to track the absorption of Western influences into Japanese culture.
This triptych shows the Meiji empress on the right, enjoying a kind of mock battle staged by her court ladies, who are using cherry blossoms instead ofs words. During cherry blossom time, many inhibitions and social conventions were thrown aside and big parties were held. This print is an homage to the Meiji empress, so it's a propaganda image. It's also a fabulous composition in its own right: all the bright colors and patterns organized through the three panels of the triptych made this an attractive purchase.
- Laurel Bradley, Carleton College Calendar 2005