Chikanobu: Meiji era woman giving an Impassioned Speech to a crowd of men (Reserved)

Artist: Yōshū Chikanobu (1838-1912)
Title: Joshi Enzetsu (Women’s Speeches) Date: 1890

A Japanese woman is the height of east-meets-west Meiji fashion and modernity. She wears western boots, holds a western umbrella and carries a hefty western book under her arm. Her rather somber-patterned kimono has been layered over a western red blouse. Breaking the artistic third wall, she looks over her shoulder towards an inset circle of a woman giving a stirring speech to a crowd of enthusiastic men. The dog at her side is also a western breed, rather than a Japanese type, and the artist has drawn and positioned it with intention. In the circular inset, which represents a magic lantern slide, is a woman giving an impassioned speech to a crowd of men who seem to be supportive. Perhaps the speech is for women’s rights, although if that were the case then one would presume to see a crowd of women.  According to research on women in politics at the time, the speech of one Ms. Kishida was titled "The Government Rules over the People and Men over Women”. One can imagine that this is the sort of speech that men of the time would find reason to applaud.

The tablecloth features an Indian-inspired pattern, and atop it is placed western teapot and cup, and the woman giving a speech wears a western-style dress. Magic lanterns that used projected glass slides were known as gentô in the Meiji period, and were very popular at the time, and were even used as educational aids.

Chikanobu is one of the few ukiyo-e artists to be the eldest son of a samurai family. He was a retainer of the Sakakibara clan of the Takada Domain. He studied first with Kuniyoshi, and then with Kunisada, and then with Kunichika. In 1868 Chikanobu actually participated in the Battle of Ueno during the Boshin War as a samurai of his domain. He resumed his career as an ukiyo-e artist around 1875.

Series: Magic Lantern Comparison (Gento shashin kurabe)
Publisher: Yokoyama Ryohachi
Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. Mint.
Dimensions: ôban 37.3 x 24.8 cm
Signature: Yôshû Chikanobu hitsu

SKU: CHK079