Author:
Title: [Roshia Jin].
Description: n.p. mid c19th. 40x28cm, ink drawing in colour. Sometime laid down, browned around the edges, old horizontal fold. ¶ A good, very good, portrait of an important Russian made at the time that these foreigners began swarming around Japan in hopes of an treaty. The Russians raced to beat Perry as soon as they heard his squadron was on the move but weren't fast enough. Still, they with England, France and Germany managed get some share of the pie. I think all those seals are collector's seals, a sign that this has long been regarded as pretty damn good. That pose, one hand over the heart (or guarding a wallet?), the other clutching a weapon appears on a few kawaraban and prints with changes in weaponry and decorations. I repeat that, to me, there is seldom any point in trying to track what was copied from where in pictures like these; rather enjoy the variations on a theme.

Keywords: kawaraban social history travel c19th Japan Asia Russia America Perry reform progress graphic art drawing illustration black ships meiji race