Mongolian Landscape 

Fujishima Takeji created "Mongolian Landscape" using pastels, during a period when Japan was increasingly engaging with and also colonizing parts of Asia. This work offers a window into the complex relationship between Japan and its neighbors in the early 20th century. While seemingly a simple landscape, it prompts us to consider the gaze through which Mongolia is being viewed. How does Fujishima, as a Japanese artist, represent this foreign land? Is it an idealized, romantic vision, or does it carry undertones of Japan's imperial ambitions? The soft pastels create a dreamlike quality. One cannot help but wonder about the people who inhabit this land. Where are their stories within this vista? The emotional resonance of this landscape lies in these questions. This work invites us to reflect on the intersections of identity, representation, and power, reminding us that even landscapes are never neutral.