Advancing across the Ansong River at the Battle of Asan (Gazan gekisen Anjo no watashi shingeki no zu) 1894

Editor: Here we have "Advancing across the Ansong River at the Battle of Asan," a woodblock print made in 1894 by Kobayashi Kiyochika. The orange and red explosions are visually striking against the dark sky, but also quite unsettling given the context. What do you see in this piece beyond the surface depiction of warfare? Curator: I see a commentary on the industrialization of war and the shifting socio-economic landscape. The very act of producing this print – the labor involved in the wood carving and printing process, the distribution networks that allowed it to reach a wide audience – speaks volumes about Japan's burgeoning capitalist system and its investment in militarism. Notice the clean lines and sharp detail. Editor: Yes, I do. What about the tradition it comes from, Ukiyo-e? Curator: Precisely! Ukiyo-e prints were historically accessible to the merchant class, focusing on popular entertainment and everyday life. By applying this medium to depict a military victory, Kiyochika blurs the lines between propaganda and art, and it served to normalize war in the everyday lives of people. We also see the rise of nationalism reflected in the flag, right? Editor: Yes! How do we read the mass-produced element? Curator: Consider the accessibility and disposability inherent in printmaking. The mass production and consumption of these images fueled public sentiment, arguably manufacturing consent for the war effort. The artist, and the publisher of the print, participate in it. So we could ask ourselves: to what end? Whose material interests are served by it? Editor: That is such a helpful consideration. I had focused solely on the visual representation, but your materialist reading adds so many more layers of understanding. It encourages one to look deeper into not just the what, but the how and why. Curator: Indeed. Understanding the conditions of production provides insight into the social and political forces at play.