A List of the House of Representatives

 

Japanese Color Woodblock Print

A List of the House of Representatives

by Nagashima Shungyō, 1891


IHL Cat. #303

About This Print

This print pictures the emperor and empress in bust portraits flanking the interior of the First Temporary Diet Building. The Meiji government published an imperial rescript in 1881 calling for the first session of the Imperial Diet to be convened in 1890. The first House of Representatives election was held on 1 July 1890 (Meiji 23), with 300 seats to be filled. The franchise was limited to males, with only some one percent of the total population eligible to vote.  


The Makeup of the First Diet

Source: A Chronology of Japanese History Written and compiled by David Turkington http://www.shikokuhenrotrail.com/japanhistory/meijihistory.html
The first Diet was elected in July 1890 and convened in November. Virtually all of the new Diet members opposed the government and ended up organized as 60 members in Goto's Daidō (General Agreement Group) and 50 members in each of the two major parties - the Liberal Party (Jiyūtō - Itagaki supporters) and the Reform Party (Kaishintō - ōkuma supporters). The remaining 140 members were all independents with nothing in common.

Two Views of the Interior of the First Temporary Diet Building

Print Details

 IHL Catalog
 #303
 Title or Description A List of the House of Representatives [title above list of members]
 帝國議會衆議院議員名鑑
 Illustration of House of Representatives Meeting [title in multi-colored cartouche]
 衆議院會議之図
 Artist  Nagashima Shungyō (active 1882-1905)
 Signature
春暁画 Shungyō ga
 Seal  not sealed
 Publication Date February 11, 1891 (Meiji 24) 明治廿四年二月十一日印刷 出版 
 Publisher 
Yamazaki Gyōzaburō 山崎曉三郎 [Marks: pub. ref. 611; seal not shown]

 Engraver
 
 Impression good
 Colors excellent
 condition excellent
 Genre ukiyo-e; kaika-e
 Miscellaneous 
 Format vertical oban
 H x W Paper
 14 1/4 x 9 5/8 in. (36.2 x 24.4 cm)
 Literature
 
 Collections This Print
 
latest revision:
3/13/2020