Negotiations after the Sino-Japanese War 1895

"Negotiations after the Sino-Japanese War" by Keisai (1890-1900) depicts a tense meeting between Chinese and Japanese officials following the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. The scene unfolds in a brightly colored room with a red-and-gold patterned rug, a stark contrast to the somber mood of the negotiations. The artwork, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, offers a visual commentary on the power dynamics and humiliation of the Chinese delegation forced to sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki, marking a significant turning point in East Asian history.