France (Furansukoku) - Utagawa Yoshitora

A fascinating Yokohama-e triptych by Utagawa Yoshitora depicting a nineteenth-century interpretation of France, featuring steam technology and European fashion.

This woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshitora belongs to the genre known as Yokohama-e, which emerged during the late Edo period. These works documented the arrival of foreigners and the introduction of Western technology to Japan following the opening of the country's ports. Yoshitora, a student of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, produced this triptych to depict his interpretation of France, a nation that fascinated the Japanese public during the mid-nineteenth century.

The composition presents a blend of European and Japanese visual tropes. A steam-powered locomotive occupies the centre, representing the industrial progress associated with the West. Surrounding this machine are figures dressed in mid-Victorian European attire, including crinoline dresses and top hats. The background features a stylised mountain range, rendered with the soft, atmospheric gradients typical of Japanese woodblock printing. The inclusion of palm trees on the left suggests an exoticised view of the European continent, reflecting the limited direct knowledge Japanese artists had of foreign geography at the time.

Technically, the print demonstrates the precise registration and colour application characteristic of the Utagawa school. The palette relies on muted blues, greens, and earthy tones, punctuated by the saturated reds of the women's garments. The figures are arranged in a theatrical manner, with the triptych format allowing for a wide, panoramic view of the scene. This work provides a window into the Japanese imagination during a period of rapid social and political transition. It captures the curiosity and occasional confusion that defined the encounter between Japan and the West, offering a historical record of how foreign nations were visualised and understood by the Japanese public before the Meiji Restoration.