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Emperor Meiji and Empress at Horse Races by Toyohara Chikanobu — Japanese Woodblock print

Emperor Meiji and Empress at Horse Races

by Toyohara Chikanobu

Medium:
Woodblock print
Format:
Oban

Description

A print depicting Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken attending horse races — one of the Western-influenced social activities that the Meiji imperial couple adopted as emblems of Japan's modernity. Horse racing, introduced from the West in the Meiji period, became associated with high society and imperial favor, and the emperor's attendance at races gave the new sport both social cachet and patriotic significance. Chikanobu's image documents the transformation of the imperial institution from the cloistered, divine monarchy of the past to a visible, public-facing modern royal family.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Emperor Meiji and Empress at Horse Races was created by Toyohara Chikanobu (豊原周延).

Emperor Meiji and Empress at Horse Races depicts animals.