Victoria Memorial

Maker(s)
Artist: Yoshida Hiroshi 吉田博 (1876-1950)
Historical period(s)
Showa era, 1931
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H x W: 27.5 x 40.6 cm (10 13/16 x 16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Gift of H. Ed Robison in memory of Katherine W. Robison
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1996.3
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Print
Type

Woodblock print

Keywords
Japan, Showa era (1926 - 1989), WWII-era provenance
Provenance

To 1996
Henry Edwin Robison (1913-2008), Palo Alto, CA, to 1996

From 1996
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, given by Henry Edwin Robison in 1996

Previous Owner(s)

Henry Edwin Robison 1913-2008

Label

Yoshida and his son reached Calcutta aboard the British ship Blue Channel.  After returning to Japan, Yoshida chose the Victoria Memorial as the scene representing Calcutta for his print series commemorating his travels in India.  The large and impressive museum, built of white marble from the same quarry as the Taj Mahal, stands in the southern part of the center of Calcutta and was opened in 1921 after fifteen years of construction.  Conceived by the British viceroy Lord Curzon, the museum displayed a collection of British paintings, sculpture, and furnishings, as well as Indian art collected by the Victorian British residents of Calcutta.  Yoshida's print of the edifice shows it virtually silhouetted against the rosy glow of sunrise.  The image of the monumental building is reflected in the foreground lake.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
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