About This Print
This scene depicts the Empress [Empress Shōken], Empress Dowager and their court ladies assembling pledgets (large bandages) for the Imperial troops fighting rebel samurai during the Satsuma Rebellion [also known as the Seinan War and Kagoshima War (February 1877 - September 1877)]. While this print was issued in June of 1877 when the rebels were on the run and close to defeat, the scene it depicts is set towards the end of February when the rebels were laying siege to Kumamoto Castle and its government defenders were experiencing heavy casualties. The sewing of the pledgets was one of the many charitable tasks that the Empress engaged in and was noted in an 1893 book on the historical role of Japanese women prepared for the World's Columbian Exposition, as follows:
In all these [women led educational and charitableinstitutions] Her Imperial Majesty, our wise and most gracious Empress, takesthe lead. There has not been a notablestand taken by women that has been for the public benefit but that the Empressin the kindness of her heart has not either directly or indirectly given it herpatronage.When the Kagoshima war broke out in 1877, she sent animmense quantity of lint pledgets of her own preparation for the use of woundedsoldiers.1
The scroll in the upper right of the triptych provides details of the scene and describes the fierce battle and heavy casualties occurring in Kagoshima and the charity and mercy displayed by the Empress and Empress Dowager.
Print Details
| IHL Catalog | #1105 |
| Title or Description | The Whole Nation Living in Perfect Contentment 傳聞萬民鼓腹 [伝聞万民鼓腹] denbun banmin kofuku |
| Artist | Utagawa Fusatane (active 1854-1888) |
| Signature |  |
| Seal | not sealed |
| Publication Date |  June 4, 1877 御届 明治十年六月四日 |
| Publisher |  板元 [publisher] 福田 熊治郎 [Fukuda Kumajirō] followed by address 長谷川町廿番地 画工 [painter] 村井 静馬 [Murai Seima, Fusatane's original name] followed by address |
| Impression | excellent |
| Colors | excellent |
| Condition | good - light overall toning; minor soiling; wormholes on right sheet repaired from back |
| Genre | ukiyo-e; kaika-e |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Format | oban triptych |
| H x W Paper | 14 3/8 x 9 3/4 in. (36.5 x 24.8 cm) (each sheet) |
| H x W Image | |
| Literature | |
| Collections This Print | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 2000.17a-c; Tokyo Metropolitan Library 1594-C45/東C1594-C045 |
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