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Educational Color Woodblock Prints

Full Color Prints Issued by the Ministry of Education in 1873

(文部省発行教育錦絵 Monbushō hakkō kyōiku nishiki-e)

PRINTS IN THE COLLECTION

[BELOW PRINTS GIFTED TO THE JORDAN SCHNITZER MUSEUM OF ART, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON]

click on image for details

Pilferer

from the series

Little Child's Pictures for Home Entertainment, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #617

Young Boys' Rough Behavior

from the series

Little Child's Pictures for Home Entertainment, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #2058

A Boy Who Likes to Fight

from the series

Little Child's Pictures for Home Entertainment, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #2170

Good Girls Showing Concern

from the series

Little Child's Pictures for Home Entertainment, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #2059

A Young Boy Studying

from the series

Little Child's Pictures for Home Entertainment, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #2261

Waterwheel

from an untitled series on

the Rice Plant

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #632

Rice Storage

from an untitled series on

the Rice Plant

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #633

Air and Water from an untitled series on the Natural Sciences, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #2311

[Principles and Applications of the] Wheel and Axle from an untitled series on Mechanics, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #765

[Principles and Applications of the] Lever from an untitled series on Mechanics, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #766

[Principles and Applications of the] Wedge from an untitled series on Mechanics, 1873

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #767

Thomas Carlyle

from the series Legends of Great Westerners

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #1970

Richard Arkwright

from the series Legends of

Great Westerners

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #1971

Benjamin Franklin

from the series Legends of

Great Westerners

(attributed to the school of

Utagawa Kuniteru II)

IHL Cat. #2054

Improving the Education of Families with Young Children

In October 1873, the Ministry of Education proclaimed that it would “improve the education of families with young children” by producing “a variety of art and toy products appropriate for children soon entering schools.”1 It then issued over 100 nishiki-e (color woodblock prints) as an aid for the education of young children and for adults. The total number of prints made and distributed is unknown but there are records of the Ministry distributing seven sets to Tokyo and a set each to other regional prefectures.2 Some prints were specifically targeted for home use with pre-school age children while others were issued to make up for “the lack of textbooks in Japan.”3

The Ministry advertised these prints "As an aid to the education of the young child (yōdō) 幼童) within the home… use these pictures as a toy when the child is sitting or lying down. And when the child reaches the age to enter elementary school, the effect will be no small matter.”4 A set of 80 prints is listed by the Ministry as costing 26 sen and six ri.5

These prints are referred to as Monbushō hakkō kyōiku nishiki-e 文部省発行教育錦絵 (often shortened to simply Kyōiku nishiki-e 教育錦絵) which is seen variously translated into English as “Pedagogic Brocade Prints published by the Ministry of Education,” “Full-color prints issued by the Ministry of Education” and “Pictures for Children and Home Teaching.” The prints covered subjects including the basic principles of mechanics and physics, the accomplishments of great Western inventors and authors and lessons that can be drawn from their diligence, proper moral behavior, the importance of play and home economics. Educational prints for adults were also issued, including the basics of home construction and various agricultural pursuits.

As can be seen below, some of the prints have extensive text, to assist a parent or teacher in explaining the pictures to a child.