<b>POSTCARDS OF THE AFTERMATH OF THE GREAT KANTO EARTHQUAKE</b> / Unknown c. 1923<b>SOLD</b></em>
ARTIST: Unknown
TITLE: Postcards of the Aftermath of the Great Kanto Earthquake
MEDIUM: Black and white postcards
DATE: c. 1923
DIMENSIONS: 12 x 8 inches (album); 6 x 4 1/2 inches (postcards)
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
MEDIA: This work was discussed in our exhibition CJP Seminar Series
SOLD
Details
The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, a catastrophic event in Japanese history, profoundly impacted the realms of photography and printmaking. In its aftermath, photographers documented the widespread destruction, capturing haunting images of the devastation and human resilience, reflecting a new era of social consciousness and realism in Japanese photography. The disaster also played a pivotal role in revitalizing traditional woodblock printmaking, inspiring artists to create powerful and emotionally charged prints that depicted the earthquake's aftermath, offering a bridge between the past and present by blending traditional techniques with contemporary subject matter. This seismic event thus left an indelible mark on Japanese art, pushing it towards greater social engagement and a fusion of modern and traditional artistic sensibilities.
This astonishing album contains 3 dozen black and white photometrically produced postcards illustrating the devastation of the earthquake and the ensuing fires.
Connoisseur's Note
This exceedingly rare postcard album is of important historical importance. The postcards not only document the destruction, but also serve as a record of the documentarian work produced at the time as well as highlighting who the news of this catastrophe was disseminated. The postcards are housed in an original postcard album of the period.