Port Festival Scene Possibly 1890

Editor: So, this is a woodblock print called "Port Festival Scene" by Yoshu Chikanobu. It's brimming with boats and flags—utterly joyous! What catches your eye when you look at this? Curator: It’s a burst of Meiji-era enthusiasm! All those flags… a real assertion of national pride, wouldn't you say? And the octopus! A whimsical touch that hints at prosperity and good fortune bobbing along with the festivities. Editor: Good fortune, I like that reading! It's almost as if the artist wanted to capture a specific feeling of optimism. Curator: Precisely! It makes me wonder, what kind of future were they imagining then? Makes you think, doesn't it?