Attack at the Site of the Hundred-Foot Cliff Possibly 1895

Editor: This woodblock print, "Attack at the Site of the Hundred-Foot Cliff," is by Kobayashi Kiyochika. The image is striking, with soldiers emerging from the snowy landscape against what seems to be a fiery sky. What symbolic meaning can we draw from this contrast? Curator: Kiyochika uses potent visual metaphors. The snow, often a symbol of purity and stillness, is disrupted by the violence of war. The fiery sky could represent destruction, but also perhaps, a kind of nationalistic fervor. What enduring narratives do you think Kiyochika is tapping into here? Editor: I hadn't considered the nationalistic angle, but it makes sense given the context of wartime imagery. Thanks, that gives me a lot to think about. Curator: Indeed. Symbols speak volumes when carefully considered.