{"product_id":"tokyo-takanawa-steam-railway-utagawa-kuniteru","title":"Tokyo Takanawa Steam Railway - Utagawa Kuniteru","description":"\u003cp\u003eA detailed woodblock triptych by Utagawa Kuniteru depicting the early steam railway at Takanawa during the Meiji period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniteru captures a moment of rapid modernisation in Japan during the early Meiji period. The scene depicts the newly established steam railway line at Takanawa, a district in Tokyo. The composition is a triptych, a common format for ukiyo-e artists to present expansive views of urban development and technological progress.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe print shows a steam locomotive pulling passenger carriages and freight cars along the tracks. The train, a symbol of Western influence and industrialisation, contrasts with the traditional attire of the onlookers and the horse-drawn carriages visible on the bridge above. The artist employs a clear, descriptive style to document the infrastructure of the era, including the stone masonry of the railway embankments and the surrounding topography. The sky is rendered with a distinct gradient, a technique often used in prints of this period to suggest the time of day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKuniteru, a student of Utagawa Kunisada, was active during a time when Japanese artists were increasingly documenting the arrival of foreign technology. This work serves as a visual record of the first railway line in Japan, which connected Shimbashi and Yokohama. The print provides a view into the social and physical changes occurring in Tokyo as the city transitioned into a modern capital. The inclusion of both traditional and modern elements reflects the hybrid nature of Meiji society, where new inventions were integrated into the existing urban fabric. The print is a representative example of 'kaika-e', or pictures of enlightenment, which focused on the rapid adoption of Western customs and technology in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/en-nz\/products\/illustration-of-a-steam-locomotive-running-on-the-takanawa-railroad-in-tokyo-utagawa-kuniteru\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eIllustration of a Steam Locomotive Running on the Takanawa Railroad in Tokyo by Utagawa Kuniteru\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/en-nz\/products\/illustration-of-steam-locomotive-tracks-at-takanawa-tsukioka-yoshitoshi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eIllustration of Steam Locomotive Tracks at Takanawa - Tsukioka Yoshitoshi by Yoshitoshi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Kuniteru I","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59016289026383,"sku":null,"price":220.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59016289091919,"sku":null,"price":220.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59016289190223,"sku":null,"price":290.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":59016289222991,"sku":null,"price":450.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":59016289288527,"sku":null,"price":450.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Tokyo-Takanawa-Steam-Railway_Poster_CompositorV1_1791249089243-q80.jpg?v=1793051119","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/en-nz\/products\/tokyo-takanawa-steam-railway-utagawa-kuniteru","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}