Lieutenant-General Yamaji; Leading the Japanese Second Army during Its Landing on the Jinzhou Peninsula 1894

This woodblock print by Kobayashi Kiyochika depicts Lieutenant-General Yamaji leading the Japanese Second Army during its landing on the Jinzhou Peninsula. It shows the general as a figure of authority surrounded by his troops. The image creates meaning through visual codes and cultural references. The artist was working in Japan during the Meiji period, a time of rapid modernization and militarization. The print depicts a scene from the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894-95, a conflict that marked Japan's emergence as a major military power in East Asia. The depiction of military leaders was used as propaganda to promote nationalism and militarism. Woodblock prints were used to disseminate images of war heroes and military victories to a wide audience. Analysing woodblock prints requires reference to diverse archival resources such as military records, government publications, and popular media. This helps us to understand the image in its original social and institutional context.