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DescriptionThis is an antique Japanese hanging scroll featuring a formal military portrait of Emperor Taisho together with an Imperial Rescript dated January 13, 1920.Emperor Taisho was the father of Emperor Hirohito, who later became the Showa Emperor. His reign, from 1912 to 1926, covered an important transitional period in modern Japanese history, including World War I and the years immediately following the conflict.The printed text above the portrait is an Imperial message addressed to members of the Japanese Army and Navy. Its wording refers to the recent war in Europe, the maintenance of peace in East Asia, cooperation with other nations, military preparedness, loyalty, courage, discipline, and the duties expected of servicemen.This places the scroll directly within the international atmosphere following World War I, when Japan had emerged as one of the victorious Allied powers and was redefining its military and diplomatic position in the new postwar world.At the top of the composition is the Imperial chrysanthemum emblem, followed by the formal text of the rescript and a portrait of Emperor Taisho in military uniform with decorations. The combination of imperial symbolism, military portraiture, and official-style text makes this a particularly evocative example of early 20th-century Japanese patriotic material culture.An additional handwritten inscription can be seen on the outside of the rolled scroll. It appears to read:“Granted to the Russo-Japanese War dead.”However, the main printed text of the scroll clearly dates from 1920 and concerns the post-World War I period. Therefore, the exact origin and historical accuracy of this later handwritten inscription cannot be confirmed. It may represent a later attribution, family note, or mistaken identification, and it is presented here only as part of the object’s surviving history.Approximate size:
Overall: 149.5 × 45.5 cm
Image/text area: 108 × 38 cmThe scroll shows age-related wear, staining, and damage consistent with its age. Please examine the photographs carefully for condition.A fascinating surviving artifact connecting the Taisho Emperor, the Imperial Japanese military, and Japan’s place in the world immediately after World War I.Own a Piece of History.Shipping
FedEx or Japan Post
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