When #MizunoToshikata's "Flags of Many Nations" was circulated in a literary magazine in October 1904, Japanese readers were well aware that their country was engaged in a war with Russia, while also pursuing dialogue with the US to recognize Japan's stature in the Pacific. This week, Sarah Thompson, Curator of #JapaneseArt, takes a closer look at the illustration as part of our "Political Intent" exhibition. #mfaNOW . . From Sarah: "With elegant beauty, this magazine frontispiece expresses Japan’s aspiration to join the international community as an equal, and hints at the country’s complex struggle to embrace a culture that was both Japanese and modern. Here, a young woman hangs strings of miniature flags of various countries, with Japan’s among those from the US, Britain, Italy, and others. . . The image is composed with an interesting detail. On the wall in the background, the well-known lithographic portrait of the #Meiji emperor, which hung in many patriotic homes, is shown with the face obscured by the flags. Why would Mizuno compose the image this way? This likely reflects an older Japanese custom of showing respect to the ruler by avoiding depiction, or at least hiding the face. At the time, this was in direct contrast to the Western-influenced custom of showing respect by displaying the emperor’s picture in the home. Ultimately, the image maintains the delicate political balance of an old custom and new world order, and subtly reveals the imperial power behind an emerging 20th-century internationalism—one worthy of celebratory decorations."
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