Furansukoku (France) 1861

"Furansukoku (France)" is a woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshikazu, a prominent artist of the late Edo period. This work, created in 1861, depicts a French woman playing the cello, likely a European musical instrument introduced to Japan during the Edo period. The woman wears a Western-style dress, while a man stands beside her, seemingly observing her play. The image is an example of *ukiyo-e*, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints that depicted everyday life, popular subjects, and scenes from history. These prints were widely popular and considered a reflection of the changing times in Japan as the country was opening up to the world.