click on thumbnails to see fullsize picture
"Japonisme" is a term coined by French art-critic Philippe Burty in
1876 to describe the craze for things Japanese. Vincent van Gogh copied Ukiyo-E
prints to name one of the most famous examples. The influence of Japanese
woodblock art can be seen in "Art Nouveau" with its flowing, organic
themes...
Here are some fine examples of Belgian chocolate manufacturer Senez-Sturbelle at
the turn of the 20th century.
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Liebig chromos
This appears to be a complete set of 12
chromolithographs printed for the 'Liebig' company.
This company still exists and produces mainly meat extracts.
They also had an educational value and were probably meant to show children some
important facts in the history of Japan.
Of course people that long ago had different moral values and ethics and some of
these depictions will nowadays
be construed as 'politically incorrect'. Remember also that in those pre
World War I years issues such as
devout nationalism and colonization of other parts of the world were quite common.
The text on the cards is in Dutch. Originally published in Belgium in the 1930's.
Happy clicking !!!
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| 'Jimmu Tenno' is
guided by the Raven of the Sun |
Empress 'Jingô'
drawing her husband's attention to the West |
Prince 'Shotoku' declaring a cultural edict | The holy 'Kukai' travels to China |
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| Destruction of the Mongol invasion fleet | 'Yoritomo' declares himself the first Shogun | Depiction of a battle after an old print | Preparations for the invasion of Korea & 'Hideyoshi' one of the unifiers of Japan |
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| a Daimyo procession after an old print | Two Samurai, after an old print | Meeting of the first Japanese-American trade delegation | The Meiji Emperor upon his first arrival in Tokyo |
