|
TOKYO: THE IMPERIAL CAPITAL Eitai Bridge and Kiyosu Bridge, September 1928 Koizumi Kishio (Japanese, 1893–1945) Tokyo Color woodblock print 11 3/4 x 15 3/8" (29.8 x 39.1 cm) Credit: The Wolfsonian–Florida International University, Miami Beach, The Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. Collection TD1993.69.1.107 Photo: Silvia Ros
In
the fall of 1928, Koizumi launched his print portfolio with this view
of two bridges spanning the Sumida River, the Eitai and the Kiyosu.
The newly built bridges became a powerful symbol of the city's
reconstruction. These ultra-modern steel structures, which were
enhanced by electric lights, replaced the graceful wooden structures
immortalized by Ando Hiroshige (1797–1858), a celebrated
nineteenth-century printmaker. The Eitai Bridge (Bridge of Eternal
Ages) was itself a symbol of Tokyo's emergence as a modern, industrial
city. It connected the city's downtown with the industrial section
across the river. The young woman and young men dressed in stylish,
Western clothing complement the modern appearance of the city. |