Sign board says,
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Library of Congress
- Image courtesy of
- Library of Congress
Description
This print, whose title appears to reference a signboard inscription as a compositional or narrative element, likely depicts a street scene or commercial setting in Meiji Tokyo where printed or painted signage was becoming increasingly prominent. The integration of text—whether on shop curtains (noren), painted boards, or the new Western-style placards appearing on Ginza storefronts—was a distinctly Meiji subject that Kiyochika documented as part of his broader record of Tokyo's transformation. The partial title suggests either a damaged or incomplete catalog entry, or a print in which the signboard text itself is the focal point of the scene, perhaps identifying a well-known establishment or serving as an ironic framing device. Kiyochika's commercial street scenes typically balance architectural recession with the lively surface detail of shop fronts and pedestrian activity.
More Prints by Kobayashi Kiyochika
Frequently Asked Questions
Sign board says, was created by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親).