歌川芳員画　「横浜異人屋敷之圖」|A Foreign Residence in Yokohama

Art Historical Context

**A Foreign Residence in Yokohama**1861) by Utagawa Yoshazu captures a fascinating glimpse into Japan's early encounters with the West. This vibrant triptych woodblock (nishiki-e) depicts the interior of a foreign residence in Yokohama, bustling with men and women engaged in dining and music-making. Instruments, tables laden with food, and Western attire highlight the exotic novelty of these newcomers, reflecting Japanese curiosity during a time of rapid change. Created in the late Edo period (1615–1868), the artwork coincides with Yokohama's emergence as a treaty port after Commodore Perry's arrival in 1854 and the 1859 Harris Treaty. Ukiyo-e artists like Yoshikazu, from the renowned Utagawa school, pioneered the "Yokohama-e" genre, portraying foreigners (異人, *ijin*) in their daily lives. These prints served as both news and entertainment, bridging Japan's centuries-long isolation (*sakoku*) with global influences. The nishiki-e technique—lavish ink and color on paper, achieved through intricate woodblocks—brings the scene to life with rich hues and fine details, folded into a panoramic 29 1/2 x 14 3/4 in. format. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian Art Department, this bequest piece invites visitors to ponder cultural exchange amid modernization.

About the Artist

Utagawa Yoshikazu · 1845–1870

Utagawa Yoshikazu (active circa 1850–1870) was a Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print artist who came of age during one of the most dynamic periods in Japanese history — the twilight of the Edo period and the dawning of the Meiji era. Born and active in Edo (present-day Tokyo), he trained under the celebrated master Utagawa Kuniyoshi, one of the towering figures of the Utagawa school renowned for his ...