Japanse leger te Pyongyang before 1899

"Japanse leger te Pyongyang" or "Japanese Army at Pyongyang" is a composite image, likely made around the late 19th century by the Ordnance Survey Office. It depicts scenes from the First Sino-Japanese War, which marked a significant shift in East Asian power dynamics. The photographs attempt to represent the Japanese army's advance and headquarters in Pyongyang. The composition of the photos within a single frame almost certainly functions as a form of propaganda, designed to showcase Japan's military prowess and technological advancement. There is little attention to the brutal realities of war. Consider the absence of Korean perspectives in this depiction of their own land. The imagery underscores the colonial gaze, reducing a complex historical moment to a narrative of Japanese dominance. The emotional impact is unsettling, as we are confronted with the erasure of Korean agency. This work serves as a stark reminder of how photography can be instrumentalized to reinforce unequal power dynamics.