Russians Drawn from Life (Oroshiajin no sho utsushi) 1861

Curator: Oh, my, isn't this Utagawa Yoshikazu print from 1861 something? "Russians Drawn from Life." The Art Institute of Chicago snagged a good one. Editor: It’s so… unexpected. My first impression is utter amusement mixed with bewilderment. There's a slightly unsettling charm. Like a skewed dollhouse scene with those bold colors. What is even happening here? Curator: Well, it's definitely a caricature, which was a popular ukiyo-e theme back then, especially when depicting foreigners. It’s fascinating to see how the artist interpreted—or rather, misinterpreted—Westerners. There's such playful, almost cartoonish exaggeration of their features and attire. Editor: Those enormous skirts! They’re like colorful, upside-down bells, aren’t they? And the proportions are just...off. Deliberately so, I suppose? I mean, look at the tiny man riding piggyback. He looks like a disgruntled ornament. What might those garments signify to the Japanese at the time? Curator: Ah, that’s where it gets interesting. These prints often reflected the blend of curiosity and suspicion toward foreigners that was brewing in Japan as it opened to the West. The clothes are a clear symbol, not just of foreignness, but of foreign customs that were often viewed as strange or even ridiculous. Editor: The ships out the doorway also draw my eyes... such a loaded image, these vessels! Almost mocking what will eventually make contact. Did people laugh at this imagery or fear it? Or perhaps both at the same time? It’s such a bizarre but strangely compelling historical document. The title says drawn from life. What an aspiration! Curator: It certainly puts a spin on what we perceive to be true about a historic encounter. Even the colors carry a weight: a sense of playfulness masking a deeper cultural tension. Yoshikazu’s image, it’s as if through this exaggeration he is commenting on a world on the verge of colossal change. Editor: I’ll never look at those ships the same way, especially after considering Yoshikazu's print!