Leonard A. Lauder Collection of Japanese
Postcards at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

“Asia Rising” by John W. Dower

 On viewing images of a potentially
disturbing nature: click here.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
© 2008 Visualizing Cultures
"Official Commemoration Card: The Triumphal Celebration in the Middle Ages" Artist unknown, 1906 [2002.4234] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Official Commemoration Card: The
Triumphal Celebration in the Middle Ages"
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.4234]
"Eagle Carrying the Magatama with an Illustration of Emperor Jinmu" from an unidentified series Artist unknown, 1906 [2002.3533] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Official Commemoration Card:
The Ise Shrine and the Yasukuni Shrine"
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.4247]
"Motifs of Postcards of the Battle of the Japan Sea" Artist unknown, 1906 [2002.3582] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Eagle Carrying the Magatama with an Illustration of Emperor Jinmu" from an unidentified series
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.3533]
"Motifs of Postcards of the Battle of the Japan Sea"
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.3582]
"Official Commemoration Card: The Ise Shrine and the Yasukuni Shrine" Artist unknown, 1906 [2002.4247] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston"Fan With Illustration of the Japanese Ancient World and Emperor's Words" from an unidentified series Artist unknown, 1906 [2002.3532] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Fan With Illustration of the Japanese Ancient
World and Emperor's Words" from an
unidentified series
Artist unknown, 1906
 [2002.3532]
"Treasure Boat with Commemorative Stamps" Artist unknown, 1906 [2002.3342] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Treasure Boat with Commemorative Stamps"
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.3342]
"Eagles Flying Over Japan with the Japanese Flag Design" Artist unknown, 1907 [2002.2409] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Eagles Flying Over Japan with the
Japanese Flag Design"
Artist unknown, 1907
[2002.2409]
"Ax with an Illustration of the Emperor and Samurai" from an unidentified series 1906 [2002.3535] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Ax with an Illustration of the Emperor and Samurai" from an unidentified series
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.3535]
"Japanese Helmet with Admiral Tōgō's Verse" Artist unknown, cancelled 1908 [2002.3334] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Japanese Helmet with Admiral Tōgō's Verse"
Artist unknown, cancelled 1908
[2002.3334]
"Arrows with an Illustration of the Emperor and Samurai" from an unidentified series Artist unknown 1906 [2002.3534] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Arrows with an Illustration of the Emperor and Samurai" from an unidentified series
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.3534]
"Flower Bouquet With Emperor’s Portrait and Words" from an unidentified series Artist unknown 1906 [2002.3531] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Flower Bouquet With Emperor’s Portrait and Words" from an unidentified series
Artist unknown, 1906
[2002.3531]
"Susanoo no mikoto, Kanda" from the series "Famous Things in Edo to Commemorate the Triumph" Artist unknown [2002.8223] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Susanoo no mikoto, Kanda" from the series "Famous
Things in Edo to Commemorate the Triumph"
Artist unknown
[2002.8223]
"Shinko Empress, Nihonbashi" from the series "Famous Things in Edo to Commemorate the Triumph" Artist unknown [2002.8224] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Shinko Empress, Nihonbashi" from the series "Famous Things in Edo to Commemorate
the Triumph"
Artist unknown
[2002.8224]
"Kanda o" from the series "Famous Things in Edo to Commemorate the Triumph" Artist unknown [2002.8221] Lauder Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
"Kanda o" from the series "Famous Things in Edo to Commemorate the Triumph"
Artist unknown
[2002.8221]
Reinventing the Martial Tradition
After the End of Hostilities

Most Japanese postcards highlighted not only Japan's mastery of modern warfare, but also the cutting-edge skills of the country's commercial artists and their familiarality with the latest fashions in design and illustration. In the immediate aftermath of the war, however, nationalists and idealogues deemed it necessary to counter the vogue of Westernization and modernization by reemphasizing the nation's “unique” virtues and values.

This entailed ransacking the past for images from the samurai tradition, and from the early myths concerning the devine origins of the land and the imperial dynasty. A number of picture postcards issued by both the government and private manufacturers in the wake of the war evoked such traditional images in commemorating great army and navy victories against the Russians.
MIT Visualizing Cultures