Arrival and Departure of an American Steamship - Utagawa Yoshikazu

A detailed woodblock triptych depicting an American steamship and Western passengers in a Japanese port, representative of the Yokohama-e genre.

This triptych by Utagawa Yoshikazu captures the fascination of mid-nineteenth-century Japan with Western technology and foreign visitors. Known as Yokohama-e, this genre of woodblock print documented the arrival of foreign ships and the appearance of Westerners in the treaty port of Yokohama following the opening of Japan to international trade.

The composition is divided into three panels, depicting a large steamship with a prominent paddle wheel and billowing smoke. The American flag flies from the mast, signalling the vessel's origin. On the deck and the adjacent dock, figures dressed in Western attire, including crinoline dresses and military uniforms, interact. The artist focuses on the details of the steamship's machinery and the specific fashion of the passengers, reflecting the curiosity of the Japanese public towards these new arrivals.

Technically, the print employs the traditional woodblock method, using flat areas of colour and defined outlines. The palette is relatively muted, relying on dark tones for the ship and uniforms, punctuated by the lighter colours of the women's dresses. The perspective is somewhat flattened, a common characteristic of the period's approach to representing foreign subjects. This work serves as a historical record of the cultural exchange during the Bakumatsu period, documenting the visual impact of Western industrialisation on the Japanese consciousness. The print provides a glimpse into the period when Japan began to integrate foreign influences into its own artistic traditions, marking a shift in the subject matter of ukiyo-e artists who sought to capture the changing world around them.