{"product_id":"north-america-kita-amerika-shu-utagawa-yoshitora","title":"North America (Kita Amerika shu) - Utagawa Yoshitora","description":"\u003cp\u003eA nineteenth-century Japanese woodblock print depicting Western architecture and fashion, created during the early period of international trade in Yokohama.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodblock print by Utagawa Yoshitora belongs to the Yokohama-e genre, a category of Japanese art that emerged during the mid-nineteenth century. These works documented the arrival of foreigners and the introduction of Western culture to Japan following the opening of the port of Yokohama in 1859. Yoshitora, a student of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, produced numerous prints that sought to interpret foreign lands for a Japanese audience, often relying on imported illustrations and imaginative reconstruction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe composition features two women dressed in mid-Victorian attire, standing in the foreground. Their voluminous skirts and bonnets reflect the fashion trends of the era, which were a source of curiosity for Japanese observers. Behind them, a Gothic Revival church serves as the primary architectural element. The structure includes pointed arches, a rose window, and a steeple, which were distinct departures from traditional Japanese building techniques. The inclusion of a Western-style lamp post in the foreground further emphasises the theme of cultural exchange and modernisation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnically, the print displays the characteristic flat colour application and bold outlines of the Ukiyo-e tradition. The palette is balanced, utilising soft blues, muted reds, and earthy tones to render the scene. A cartouche in the upper section provides descriptive text, a common feature in educational prints of this period intended to inform the public about distant nations. The work functions as a historical record of how Japan perceived the West during the Bakumatsu period. It captures a moment of transition, where the isolationist policies of the Tokugawa shogunate began to yield to international contact. The print remains a document of cultural curiosity, illustrating the visual dialogue between Japan and the outside world during a time of rapid societal change.\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\/the-actor-yamanaka-heikuro-i-torii-kiyonobu-i\" 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;\"\u003eThe Actor Yamanaka Heikuro I - Torii Kiyonobu I — Torii Kiyonobu I\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/bamboo-quay-by-kyobashi-bridge-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;\"\u003eBamboo Quay by Kyōbashi Bridge - Utagawa Hiroshige — Utagawa Hiroshige\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":58982843253071,"sku":null,"price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58982845382991,"sku":null,"price":35.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58982845415759,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58982845448527,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58982845481295,"sku":null,"price":45.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58982845514063,"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":58982845546831,"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":58982845579599,"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":58982845612367,"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":58982845645135,"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":58982845677903,"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":58982845710671,"sku":null,"price":90.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/North-America-Kita-Amerika-shu-_Poster_CompositorV1_1790921790768.jpg?v=1790922908","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.co.uk\/products\/north-america-kita-amerika-shu-utagawa-yoshitora","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}