Nankin in China - Utagawa Yoshitora

A detailed woodblock triptych by Utagawa Yoshitora, depicting a bustling scene in Nankin, China, through the lens of nineteenth-century Japanese printmaking.

This woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshitora depicts a bustling scene in Nankin, China, as imagined by a Japanese artist during the late Edo period. Yoshitora, a student of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, was known for his interest in foreign lands and international affairs, a genre often referred to as Yokohama-e. The composition is a triptych, typical of the format used to capture expansive views or complex narratives in Japanese printmaking.

The scene features a stone arched bridge crossing a canal, which serves as the central point of activity. Figures dressed in traditional Chinese attire populate the streets and the bridge, providing a sense of daily life and commerce. The architecture reflects a blend of Chinese styles and the artist's own stylistic interpretation, with tiled roofs and walled enclosures. In the background, a mountain rises against a horizon marked by a sunset gradient, a common stylistic device in prints of this era to suggest distance and atmosphere.

Technically, the print employs the traditional woodblock process, where separate blocks were carved for each colour. The palette includes deep blues for the water and sky, contrasted with earthy tones for the structures and varied colours for the clothing of the figures. The lines are precise, defining the forms of the buildings and the movement of the people. This work offers a glimpse into how Japanese artists of the nineteenth century visualised the wider world, often relying on imported books and hearsay to construct their depictions of foreign cities. It is a piece of historical interest, documenting the curiosity of the Japanese public regarding international trade and geography during a period of increasing contact with the West and neighbouring Asian nations.