Abstract

The Meiji Restoration of 1868 set in train a major reconfiguration of not only the political structure of government but also the world of letters, affecting not just academic elites but also the demimonde literati and artists who had enjoyed various forms of patronage under the Tokugawa regime.

This article examines the initiatives of early Meiji gesakusha who, in collaboration with nishikie artists such as Ochiai Yoshiiku and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, spearheaded the development of distinctive genres of illustrated news. Following the initial success of shinbun nishikie (新聞錦絵) there was the continued adaptation of this collaboration in the minor newspaper format, as seen in the Tokyo Eiri Shinbun (東京絵入新聞) established in 1875.

This article explores how these early illustrated newspapers, while exemplifying proclivities with gesaku, nonetheless engaged with the government’s program of ‘civilization and enlightenment’ to provide timely commentary on contemporary social issues, as well as a critical response to the movement. Furthermore, through their serious reportage on events of national significance, they demonstrated a capacity to fulfill in great part the government’s aspirations for the functions of the press in a ‘civilized’ nation.

摘要

1868 年的明治维新不仅对政府的政治结构而且对文学界进行了重大重组，不仅影响了学术精英，也影响了在德川政权下享有各种形式赞助的下层文人和艺术家。

本文探讨了明治初期gesakusha的举措，他们与落合义久和月冈义俊等锦江艺术家合作，率先发展了独特的插图新闻类型。继shinbun nishikie（新闻锦絵）取得初步成功后，这种合作在小型报纸形式中得到了持续改编，如 1875 年成立的东京 Eiri Shinbun（东京絵入新闻）所示。

本文探讨了这些早期的插图报纸如何在表现出雅作的倾向的同时，仍然参与政府的“文明与启蒙”计划，以对当代社会问题提供及时的评论，并对运动做出批判性回应。此外，通过他们对具有国家意义的事件的严肃报道，他们展示了在很大程度上实现政府对新闻界在“文明”国家中发挥作用的愿望的能力。