Gihachiro Okuyama’s mid-century woodblock “下田港 (‘Shimoda Port’)” portrays fishing vessels returning beneath a “漁大” fisheries flag to Shimoda’s bustling waterfront, with tiered rooftops and looming hills beyond - a crisp, historic panoramic scene of maritime life. ⚓🌊
- Year & Edition: Circa 1960–70s · Self-printed by 奥山儀八郎 (Okuyama Gihachiro jizuri); signed & titled in pencil to margins; artist seal lower right.
- Medium: Woodblock.
- Dimensions: Sheet H: 24.00 cm × W: 48.00 cm.
- Condition: Excellent; sharp, crisp impression on well-preserved paper.
- Notes: Shimoda holds immense historical significance as the site where, in 1854, Commodore Matthew Perry’s “Black Ships” (黒船 “kurofune”) entered Tokyo Bay. Negotiations here led to the Treaty of Kanagawa (神奈川条約), ending centuries of isolation and establishing Japan’s first formal ties with the United States, transforming Shimoda into a key maritime and trade hub.
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