77 Utagawa Yoshitora 1836 – 1882 A Prussian from the Series Depicting Foreigners

publisher: Yamadaya Shōhei (Kinkyōdō)

An early sheet from a series portraying newly encountered foreigners (Gaikokujin monozukushi), published shortly after Japan opened to the West. Yoshitora caricatures a “Prussian” in a European coat, waistcoat, and blue hat, sword at his side, being stared at in disbelief by a ragged servant in simple clothing and straw sandals. Such depictions of Westerners were deliberately exaggerated and unflattering, reflecting a mixture of curiosity and skepticism toward the unfamiliar outsiders.

This print is extremely rare and is not recorded in major institutional collections.