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Fit to Print: The Dawn of Journalism in Japanese Woodblock Prints

from the Lavenberg and Michels Collections

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon

July 2021

This installation features more than 30 loans from two remarkably rich local resources, the Lavenberg Collection of Japanese Prints, and the Lee & Mary Jean Michels Collection. It was co-curated by Professors Akiko Walley (History of Art and Architecture) and Glynne Walley (East Asian Languages and Literatures) and JSMA Chief Curator Anne Rose Kitagawa. QR codes on selected labels allow visitors to access translations and explanations of the complex wordplay, imagery, and cultural context of these fascinating objects.

https://jsma.uoregon.edu/FittoPrint

UTAGAWAYoshitaki (歌川芳滝,1841-1899) Japanese;Meiji period, 1875 Police Confront Man in Black Makeup from the NewsIllustrated (Shinbun zue) Ukiyo-e woodblock-printed “brocade newspaper” (shinbun nishiki-e) in vertical chūban format; ink and color on paper TheLavenberg Collection of Japanese Prints, IHL.0311

This printrelates an amusing case of mistaken identity. A policeman on rounds found ahouse with its door open. Peering inside he was attacked by a creature with ablack face and foul breath who accused him of trying to rob the house. Aftersome back-and-forth it turned out that the creature was the homeowner. He hadengaged in a drunken game of rock-scissors-paper, and for losing had to painthis face with ink, then went home and passed out. He apologized to thepoliceman and was let off with a warning.

Translation of text on print:

A patrolman was doing his rounds atmidnight in Takatsu-chō 5, 12^th small ward, 2^nd largeward. He saw a house whose door had been left open, so he stopped to have alook, thinking a thief might have sneaked in. Then he heard a voice, like atiger or a wolf snoring, so he went inside. Something with a pitch-black faceand glittering eyes tried to grab him. Its breath was so foul that the patrolmancould hardly face it. He cried out, “Are you a fox or a tanuki? Do you not recognize a policeman?” But the blackfacedcreature itself shouted, “You’re a thief pretending to be a policeman.” Theangry voice was using speech, to the patrolman brought his corporal toinvestigate. The corporal was just as astonished at the blackfaced creature,but when he looked closely he saw it was the master of the house. Puzzled, heasked why the man’s face was black. At last the man remembered and apologizedfor his rudeness. “Last night I was invited to a drinking party at myneighbor’s house. Under the influence we painted our faces black and beganplaying rock-paper-scissors. I simply could not beat my opponent, and in theend my face was completely covered with soot. I came home like that, but Iremember nothing more. I must have gone to sleep with the door open. All ofthis happened because I drank so much,” he said. The matter was let go with anapology, according to the Ōsaka News. Oh, how important it is to drink only inmoderation! Self control is the key!

(Glynne Walley, Associate Professor of East Asian Languages& Literatures)

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