{"product_id":"foreigners-from-the-five-nations-enjoying-a-banquet-utagawa-yoshikazu","title":"Foreigners from the Five Nations Enjoying a Banquet - Utagawa Yoshikazu","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 1861 woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshikazu depicting Westerners dining, a classic example of the Yokohama-e genre documenting early cultural exchange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshikazu, produced in 1861, belongs to the Yokohama-e genre. These works documented the arrival of foreign merchants and diplomats in Japan following the opening of the port of Yokohama. The print depicts a group of Westerners gathered around a table, engaged in a meal. The artist captures the curiosity of the Japanese public regarding the customs, dress, and social habits of these visitors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition features a domestic interior, rendered with a blend of traditional Japanese print techniques and an attempt to incorporate Western perspective. The figures are seated on chairs, a novelty in the Japanese context of the time, and are dressed in mid-nineteenth-century European attire. The inclusion of a sunflower and hydrangea in a vase adds a decorative element to the scene. The colour palette is restrained, relying on soft blues, muted oranges, and deep blacks to define the figures and the room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUtagawa Yoshikazu was a student of Utagawa Kuniyoshi and became known for his depictions of foreigners. His work provides a visual record of the cultural exchange occurring during the Bakumatsu period. The print serves as a historical document of how Japanese artists interpreted the appearance and behaviour of Westerners. The attention to detail in the clothing, such as the hats and cravats, reflects the artist's observation of the visitors. This piece offers a glimpse into the fascination with the outside world that characterised this era of Japanese history, capturing a moment of cross-cultural encounter through the lens of the traditional woodblock medium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/nihonbashi-from-the-series-thirty-six-views-of-the-eastern-capital-utagawa-hiroshige-ii\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eNihonbashi, from the series Thirty-six Views of the Eastern Capital - Utagawa Hiroshige II — Utagawa Hiroshige II\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/a-branch-of-plum-umegoe-utagawa-kuniyoshi\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eA Branch of Plum (Umegoe) - Utagawa Kuniyoshi — Utagawa Kuniyoshi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Utagawa Yoshikazu","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58596925964623,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58596938121551,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58596938154319,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58596938187087,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58596938219855,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58596938252623,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58596938285391,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58596938318159,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58596938350927,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58596938383695,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58596938416463,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58596938449231,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Foreigners-from-the-Five-Nations-Enjoying-a-Banquet_Poster_CompositorV1_1787985085803.jpg?v=1787985391","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/foreigners-from-the-five-nations-enjoying-a-banquet-utagawa-yoshikazu","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}