Visualizing Westernization of Japan

 

SoUrCe :) 

 This picture was taken when Commodore James Biddle led two warships to Japan (specifically to the Edo Bay) to engage with the Japanese people. I thought this picture was very interesting and meaningful because this image precisely represents how Americans and the idea of Westernization are very different and foreign to the Japanese society.

In this picture, there are two American warships, one with an American flag on top of the mast. These two ships are surrounded by Japanese boats (fishing boats), and they are docked on the Edo Bay. The scenery of this image include a mountain drawn with the East Asian style, and the sky is filled with vast clouds that look very mysterious. The setting itself is peaceful, yet it has a very serious aura. The use of black and white color also sets the very dark, gloomy mood. 

These American ships that are fueled by coal and driven by steam engine, are very big and massive compared to the Japanese boats. These ships have good military design and the ability to travel large distances, which represent the advanced western technology. On the other hand, the Japanese boats are not advanced, and their small, simple stature represent the isolation of Japan from the world's economical and financial growth. Also, these western ships take all the attention out of the beautiful Mt. Fuji, which emphasizes the idea that the "westernization" is greater than nature.

The two American ships definitely look out of place in the image, which portrays the fact that Japan was considered a "closed country" and that they have a resistance to Americans coming into the Edo Bay. The dark, gloomy setting also portrays the political tension between America and Japan at that time of Westernization.