Japanese poster collection
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Scope and Contents
The Japanese poster collection contains approximately 45 posters on the following topics: Japanese products and design; railways, ocean liners and tourism; Japanese art and design exhibitions; Japanese imperial modernity (including colonies in Korea, Manchuria, and northeastern China); and Japanese Ministry and Telecommunications campaigns. The posters reflect both Japanese painting techniques (nihonga) and Western painting techniques (yōga). Pictorial styles range from neo-traditionalism derived from woodblock prints (ukiyoe) to modernism. The prominence of beautiful women (bijin) as an aesthetic category in the collection is of note. Most of the posters were produced using the offset lithographic printing technique. The posters were created by prominent designers, commissioned by large Japanese corporations and government ministries, and produced by Japan's major offset printing companies.
Dates
- Creation: 1915 - 1929
Creator
- Asai Shiten (Tokyo, Japan) (Issuing body, Organization)
- Dainihon Seito Kabushiki Gaisha (Issuing body, Organization)
- Gōshi Kaisha Chidoriya Shōten (Tokyo, Japan) (Issuing body, Organization)
- Ichida Ofusetto Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha (Ichida Offset Printing Co., Ltd.) (Osaka, Tokyo, and Shanghai) (Printer, Organization)
- Kabushiki Kaisha Tōkyō Tsukiji Kappan Seizōsho (Tokyo, Japan) (Issuing body, Organization)
- Machida, Ryūyō, 1871-1955 (Artist, Person)
- Mayama, Kōji, 1882-1981 (Artist, Person)
- Mitsuma Insatsu Gōmei Kaisha (Tokyo, Japan) (Printer, Organization)
- Mitsuma Insatsujo (Mitsuma Printing Works) (Tokyo, Japan) (Printer, Organization)
- Mitsumura Printing Co., Ltd. (Kobe, Japan) (Printer, Organization)
- Nagahara, Kotaro, 1864-1930 (Artist, Person)
- Nakayama Taiyodo (Issuing body, Organization)
- Nippon Shuzō Kabushiki Kaisha (Yonezawa, Japan) (Issuing body, Organization)
- Okano, Sakae, 1880-1942 (Artist, Person)
- Sugiura, Hisui, 1876-1965 (Artist, Person)
- Sugiyama, Sueo (Artist, Person)
- Tada, Hokuu, 1889-1948 (Artist, Person)
- Tōkyō Inshokan (Printer, Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Portion of items in the collection are too fragile to be handled. Those fragile Items with restricted access are noted at item level. Patrons are recommended to view the Scalar project "Unpinning History".
Conditions Governing Use
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the East Asian Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Extent
0.21 Linear Feet (Approximately 49 posters stored in 41 oversize folders in 3 map case drawers.)
Language of Materials
Japanese
English
Abstract
The Japanese poster collection contains approximately 45 posters on the following topics: Japanese products and design; railways, ocean liners and tourism; Japanese art and design exhibitions; Japanese imperial modernity (including colonies in Korea, Manchuria, and northeastern China); and Japanese Ministry and Telecommunications campaigns. The posters reflect both Japanese painting techniques (nihonga) and Western painting techniques (yōga). Pictorial styles range from neo-traditionalism derived from woodblock prints (ukiyoe) to modernism. The prominence of beautiful women (bijin) as an aesthetic category in the collection is of note. Most of the posters were produced using the offset lithographic printing technique. The posters were created by prominent designers, commissioned by large Japanese corporations and government ministries, and produced by Japan's major offset printing companies.
Custodial History
The provenance of the USC Libraries Japanese poster collection is largely unknown, as is the date of acquisition. The posters were part of a larger artificial collection assembled at the USC Von Kleinsmid Center before they were transferred to the USC Libraries.
Processing Information
The posters in this collection were previously described as part of a larger collection titled the "Asian poster collection" and included description for approximately 43 Chinese posters and 12 Chinese calendars. The Chinese posters and calendars were separated and described in a separate finding aid.
Subject
- Asai Shiten (Tokyo, Japan) (Issuing body, Organization)
- Dainihon Seito Kabushiki Gaisha -- Posters (Organization)
- Gōshi Kaisha Chidoriya Shōten (Tokyo, Japan) -- Posters (Issuing body, Organization)
- Ichida Ofusetto Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha (Ichida Offset Printing Co., Ltd.) (Osaka, Tokyo, and Shanghai) -- Posters (Printer, Organization)
- Kabushiki Kaisha Tōkyō Tsukiji Kappan Seizōsho (Tokyo, Japan) -- Posters (Organization)
- Machida, Ryūyō, 1871-1955 -- Posters (Person)
- Mayama, Kōji, 1882-1981 -- Posters (Artist, Person)
- Mitsuma Insatsu Gōmei Kaisha (Tokyo, Japan) -- Posters (Printer, Organization)
- Mitsuma Insatsujo (Mitsuma Printing Works) (Tokyo, Japan) -- Posters (Printer, Organization)
- Mitsumura Printing Co., Ltd. (Kobe, Japan) (Printer, Organization)
- Nagahara, Kotaro, 1864-1930 -- Posters (Artist, Person)
- Nakayama Taiyodo -- Posters (Issuing body, Organization)
- Nippon Shuzō Kabushiki Kaisha (Yonezawa, Japan) -- Posters (Issuing body, Organization)
- Okano, Sakae, 1880-1942 -- Posters (Person)
- Sugiura, Hisui, 1876-1965 -- Posters (Artist, Person)
- Sugiyama, Sueo -- Posters (Artist, Person)
- Tada, Hokuu, 1889-1948 -- Posters (Artist, Person)
- Tōkyō Inshokan -- Posters (Printer, Organization)
Genre / Form
Topical
- Commercial art -- Japan -- Taishō period, 1912-1926 -- Posters
- Design -- Japan -- History -- Taishō period, 1912-1926 -- Posters
- Offset lithography -- Japan -- Taishō period, 1912-1926 -- Posters
- Posters, Japanese -- Taishō period, 1912-1926 -- Archival resources
- Printing -- Japan -- History -- 20th century -- Posters
- Propaganda, Japanese -- Taishō period, 1912-1926 -- Posters
- Travel posters -- Japan -- Taishō period, 1912-1926 -- Archival resources
- Title
- Finding aid for the Japanese poster collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Rebecca Corbett and Bo Doub
- Date
- 2020 April
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2022 August: Finding aid updated by Sue Luftschein to include restriction on access due to fragile nature of materials.
Repository Details
Part of the USC Libraries East Asian Library Repository
Doheny Memorial Library
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-1825 United States