The Fall of Fenghuangcheng: Putting the Enemy to Rout (Hōōjō kanraku tekihei kaisō zu) Possibly 1894

Editor: This is Mizuno Toshikata's woodblock print, "The Fall of Fenghuangcheng," made sometime around the turn of the century. There's so much smoke and action, it's a little overwhelming! What stands out to you about the materials and process used here? Curator: The print’s value isn't solely in the depicted battle, but in how its production reflects Meiji-era Japan. Consider the woodblocks: carved by skilled artisans, mass-produced, yet still requiring immense labor. Who was consuming these images and what was their purpose? Editor: I suppose these prints were not made for an elite audience, then? Curator: Exactly. Think about the paper, the inks, the distribution networks. Each element speaks to Japan's industrializing society and its consumption of war narratives. It's about more than just aesthetics. Editor: So, looking at the materials and production gives the image a completely different meaning. Curator: Precisely. It reveals the complex interplay of art, labor, and propaganda in a rapidly changing world.