England (Igirisu), from the Countries of Europe (Yoroppa-shu no uchi)

Art Historical Context

**England (Igirisu), from the Countries of Europe (oroppa-shu no uchi)** *Utagawa Yoshikazu, 1861* Color woodblock print; oban *Art Institute of Chicago, Arts of Asia* Created by Utagawa Yoshazu, a prolific artist of the Utagawa school Japan's late Edo period, this vibrant woodblock print captures a fascinating moment of cultural curiosity. Produced in 1861—just eight years after Commodore Perry's "black ships" forced Japan to open to the West—this work is part of the *Countries of Europe* series, which introduced Japanese audiences to distant lands through exotic, imaginative depictions....

About the Artist

Utagawa Yoshikazu

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 ...