Book/Printed Material Kaishū jigasan 海舟自画賛 / Title in Chinese reading: Haizhou zi hua zan
About this Item
Title
- Kaishū jigasan
Other Title
- 海舟自画賛
- Title in Chinese reading: Haizhou zi hua zan
Translated Title
- Self-Portrait of Katsu Kaishu
Summary
- Presented here is a self-portrait by Katsu Kaishu (1823-99), who was a naval navigator and Japanese statesman during the Bakumatsu (the final years of the Edo period) and the Meiji Restoration. Born in Edo (present-day Tokyo), he studied in 1855-59 at the Navy Officer Training School in Nagasaki and mastered Dutch and Western military science. In 1860 he traveled to the United States as captain of the Kanrin-maru, Japan's first sail and steam-power corvette. He held several high naval administrative roles and opened the Naval Operation Training School in Kobe in 1864. Katsu was one of the most senior retainers from the Bakumatsu to continue to hold high office in the Meiji era; he was a member of the Chamber of Elders and a privy councilor. The gasan (inscription, in poetry or prose, added to a picture) that he wrote for this self-portrait includes this poem: "It is not in my disposition to fuss over details. Whether I am a counselor to the imperial court or an ordinary person outside of the government, in any situation, I see the world with an unclouded mind." It is believed that he wrote this when he left political office, but the date is unknown.
Names
- Katsu, Kaishū, 1823-1899 Creator
Created / Published
- [Place of publication not identified] : [Publisher not identified], [1850 to 1899]
Headings
- - Japan
- - 1850 to 1899
- - Japan. Navy
- - Katsu, Kaishū, 1823-1899
- - Military administration
- - Politicians
- - Portrait drawings
Notes
- - Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
- - Original resource extent: 1 drawing ; 28.5 x 19 centimeters.
- - Original resource at: National Diet Library.
- - Content in Japanese and Chinese.
- - Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.
- - Title revised per Asian Division.--cc28 2023-01-06
Medium
- 1 online resource.
Digital Id
Library of Congress Control Number
- 2021667504
Online Format
- compressed data
- image