{"product_id":"illustration-of-a-balloon-ascending-fusen-shoyo-no-zu-utagawa-yoshitora","title":"Illustration of a Balloon Ascending (Fūsen shōyō no zu) - Utagawa Yoshitora","description":"\u003cp\u003eA detailed woodblock triptych by Utagawa Yoshitora depicting a public hot air balloon demonstration in Meiji-era Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshitora captures the fascination of Meiji-era Japan with Western technological advancements. Known as Yokohama-e, this genre of art documented the arrival of foreigners and modern inventions in the port city of Yokohama. The triptych depicts a public demonstration of hot air balloons, a spectacle that drew large crowds of curious onlookers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition is divided into three panels, showing the preparation and flight of several balloons. On the right, ground crews manage the tethered craft, while the central panel shows a balloon being inflated. To the left, a balloon is shown in mid-ascent, with an aeronaut visible in the basket. The artist employs a blend of traditional Japanese print techniques and Western-influenced perspective to render the scene. The figures in the crowd are dressed in a mix of traditional kimono and Western-style clothing, reflecting the rapid social changes occurring during the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe colour palette is characteristic of late nineteenth-century woodblock prints, featuring bold blocks of green for the ground, a gradient sky, and the distinct red horizon line often found in prints of this era. The balloons themselves are rendered with clean, precise lines, showing the structural details of the netting and fabric. This work provides a window into the cultural exchange between Japan and the West, documenting a moment where traditional woodblock printing met the industrial age. The print is a fine example of how Japanese artists interpreted foreign technology, transforming scientific observation into a popular visual narrative for the public.\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\/mountains-and-rivers-along-the-kisokaido-utagawa-hiroshige\" 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;\"\u003eMountains and Rivers Along the Kisokaidō - Utagawa Hiroshige — Utagawa Hiroshige\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/jo-and-uba-of-takasago-looking-at-the-rising-sun-totoya-hokkei\" 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;\"\u003eJo and Uba of Takasago Looking at the Rising Sun - Totoya Hokkei — Totoya Hokkei\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Utagawa Yoshitora","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58512948691279,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58512949477711,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58512949510479,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58512949543247,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58512949576015,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58512949608783,"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":58512949641551,"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":58512949674319,"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":58512949707087,"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":58512949739855,"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":58512949772623,"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":58512949805391,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Illustration-of-a-Balloon-Ascending-F-sen-sh-y-no-zu-_Poster_CompositorV1_1786451472959.jpg?v=1787115991","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/illustration-of-a-balloon-ascending-fusen-shoyo-no-zu-utagawa-yoshitora","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}