Japanese Print "Fallen Blossoms in the Snow" by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Artist:Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Title:Fallen Blossoms in the Snow
Date:1874
Details:More information...
Source:Worcester Art Museum
Browse all 3,039 prints...
Description:
Ii Naosuke (1815–60) was a high-ranking government official assassinated in 1860 by samurai critical of trade concessions he made to the United States, particularly the Harris Treaty in 1858. The print’s title alludes to these events, as “fallen blossoms” refers to the site of the killing at the Sakuradamon or “Cherry Blossom Gate” of the Shogun’s castle in Edo (now Tokyo). Explicit references to current events were strictly prohibited during the Edo period (1603–1868) as the government wished to avoid dissenting opinions. This print reflects the last wave of reluctance to specify historical events directly, though the subject would have been immediately clear to contemporary viewers.
Similar Prints
