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

Curator: This is Kobayashi Kiyochika’s "Attack at the Site of the Hundred-Foot Cliff," a woodblock print now held at the Harvard Art Museums. It depicts soldiers in a snowy landscape, poised for action. Editor: There's an eerie stillness despite the implied violence, almost a watercolor dream of war. The powdery snow is beautiful and terrible. Curator: Kiyochika was fascinated by Western art techniques, which he incorporated into his ukiyo-e prints. Note the strong, direct lines, and the almost photographic depiction of a fleeting moment. These are not romantic heroes, but men at work. Editor: Yes, the scene feels raw, immediate. It's like catching a stolen glimpse into a soldier's lived experience, rather than a staged glorification of war. It makes me think about the human cost of conflict. Curator: Exactly. By focusing on the material conditions of warfare—the snow, the uniforms, the rifles—Kiyochika offers a social commentary on the modernizing Japanese military. Editor: That’s right. You’ve given me a lot to think about. It's more complex than I first realized. Curator: Indeed.