Japanese Modernism Across Media
Bridge Over Time
Bridge over Time
One Hundred Views of New Tokyo was created in a period of transition.
While some prints exclusively depicted either the long-established Tokyo scenes or the indications of modern life, others are the mixtures of both. By mixing them up, the eight Creative Print artists represented the shift of Tokyo from premodern to modern, that accelerated by the reconstruction project.
Lawrence Smith, an art historian suggests, the artists created One Hundred Views of New Tokyo primarily from their strong urge to express “nostalgia for the loss of familiar city scenes” and "the fear of the rapid urbanization."
To express this complicated feelings, the artists blended the original and the latest objects existed in Tokyo to create one print and also carefully chose the subjects of prints that can conceptually display the connection between the past and the future of Tokyo.
Nihonbashi
Bridge between the Past and the Future
Nihonbashi was the light of hope that connect the traditional Edo spirit and the pride of unbeaten Tokyo.
Road Leading to Meiji Shirine
Road to the Past
The road leading to Meiji Shrine is drawn as the path that Tokyo had walked after the Western cultures arrived in Japan.
Rain in Yotsuya Mitsuke
Train Taking You to the Future
A woman will be taken to the irresistible “modern future” by a street car.
