Artwork

郵便報知新聞 645号|Postal Hōchi Newspaper no. 645, Englishman raping a wine shopkeeper's daughter (Yūbin Hōchi shinbun, roppyaku yonjū gogō)

郵便報知新聞 645号|Postal Hōchi Newspaper no. 645, Englishman raping a wine shopkeeper's daughter (Yūbin Hōchi shinbun, roppyaku yonjū gogō) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 2007.49.311
Credit line: Bequest of William S. Lieberman, 2005

About this work

Look up other prints in the series Thirty-Two Aspects of Customs and Manners to see how Yoshitoshi showed daily life in Japan.

A man in Western clothes pins a young woman to the floor of a wine shop. She twists away, one sleeve torn. Behind them, shelves of bottles glow in lamplight.

This print ran in a Tokyo newspaper in 1875, part of a series on crime. Yoshitoshi used sharp lines and deep shadows to make the attack feel sudden and violent. The Western suit marks the man as an outsider, a detail that would have shocked readers then.

Look up other prints in the series Thirty-Two Aspects of Customs and Manners to see how Yoshitoshi showed daily life in Japan.

Overview

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s woodblock print, published in 1875 as part of the Postal Hōchi Newspaper No. 645, portrays a violent encounter in a wine shop. A Western‑dressed man forces a young woman to the floor, her sleeve torn as she struggles. The scene is illuminated by the lamplight reflecting off rows of bottles, emphasizing the abruptness of the assault.

Subject & Meaning

The composition juxtaposes a foreign figure in a European suit with a Japanese shopkeeper’s daughter, underscoring the perceived threat of outsiders in Meiji‑era society. The forced posture and torn garment convey the victim’s helplessness, while the setting, a modest wine shop, highlights the intrusion of violence into everyday domestic spaces.

Technique & Style

Yoshitoshi employs crisp, decisive line work and stark chiaroscuro to heighten the drama. Deep shadows envelop the figures, and the bright glow from the bottle shelves creates a stark contrast that isolates the central action. The use of ink and color on paper follows traditional ukiyo‑e methods while incorporating a more graphic, reportage aesthetic.

History & Provenance

The image appeared in a Tokyo newspaper as part of a series documenting contemporary crimes, reflecting the period’s fascination with sensational news. Produced during the early Meiji period, the print circulated widely among readers, serving both as visual reportage and moral commentary on the dangers posed by foreign influence.

Context

The work belongs to Yoshitoshi’s broader project “Thirty‑Two Aspects of Customs and Manners,” which examined daily life and social changes in Japan. Within this series, the print stands out for its focus on criminality and the anxieties surrounding the influx of Western culture during a time of rapid modernization.