Magic Lantern Slides Series: School Exam

A print depicting a magic lantern slides series scene of a school examination — an educational subject that combines the new Meiji-era institution of public schooling with the equally new technology of projected-image entertainment. Magic lantern shows (gentosho) were introduced to Japan in the Meiji period and quickly became popular educational and entertainment tools. The school examination scene would have spoken to the anxieties and aspirations of families navigating the new meritocratic education system.