Artist: Kobayasi Kiyochika (1847-1915)
Title: Struggling Hard on the Battleship Hatsuse in the Harbor of Port Arthur
Date: 1904
Edition: Likely Early Ed. triptych, sheets approximately 14.5 x 9.5 each
Sig./Seal: Kobayashi seal, Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi V
Condition: Vivid colors, faint paper clip marks under ivory mat, partially trimmed margins, acid-free environs
Size: Matted SS: 17 x 33 P60517 $495.00
Struggling Hard on the Battleship Hatsuse in the Harbor of Port Arthur
A wounded officer during the battle of Port Arthur is placed on a stretcher.
Life of Kiyochika Kobayashi (1847-1915)
According to Artelino (from his auction site), As Kiyochika Kobayashi entered adulthood, Japan underwent a seismic shift. The traditional order of the Japanese Edo period (1603-1868) under the Tokugawa clan gave way to the Meiji era led by Emperor Meiji.
The Meiji period (1868-1912) witnessed Japan's rapid transformation from a medieval society into a modern economic and military powerhouse, emulating Western models at an astonishing pace.
This era of Westernization led to the decline of the traditional Japanese woodblock print ('ukiyo-e'), once a prevalent printing technique for books, newspapers, and various mass media. The advent of photography replaced this medium, causing a gradual erosion of the economic foundation for Japanese ukiyo-e artists, woodblock carvers, and printers.
In this challenging period, Kiyochika Kobayashi played a pivotal role. He spearheaded the revitalization of the Japanese woodblock print, elevating it from a cheap mass-produced medium to an esteemed and valuable form of art.
War Prints from the Sino-Japanese War
The Sino-Japanese War, waged between 1894 and 1895, was a conflict fought on both land and sea between Japan and China, vying for dominance over Korea. The Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895 solidified Japan's resounding victory. As part of the treaty, China ceded its control over Korea to Japan, paid a substantial indemnity, and relinquished Taiwan and the Liaotung Peninsula to Japan.
For the traditional Japanese printmaking industry, the Sino-Japanese War marked the final significant commercial success. The war triggered a wave of nationalism across all Japanese social classes. During this period, many Japanese individuals, particularly women who couldn't read, were eager for updates from the war front. To meet this demand, vivid woodblock prints depicted the latest heroic exploits of the Japanese army and navy.
Most of the artists creating these war prints had never set foot on the battlefield. These scenes were conjured from their imaginations. However, these prints were highly marketable, and speed was of the essence. The first to produce prints capturing the latest news from the frontlines garnered the most attention and sales.
War Prints from the Russo-Japanese War
With the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, woodblock print publishers once again aimed to present the latest visual updates from the battlefield. However, by this time, public interest in woodblock prints had significantly waned. The availability of authentic photographs directly from the frontlines diminished the appeal of these prints. As a consequence, collectors of Japanese prints today discover a multitude of woodblock prints depicting scenes from the Sino-Japanese War, while those from the Russo-Japanese War remain considerably scarce.