ABSTRACT

The panorama was introduced to Japan in 1890, two decades after the collapse of the feudal society. Not only the horizontal 360-degree view was a novelty for Japanese audiences, but also the realistic oil paintings drawn in perspective. In the same year, a 12-story viewing tower was erected and the first hot air balloon ascent took place, both in the adjacent Asakusa and Ueno districts where the two major panorama halls stood. These spectacles offered new visual experiences to the masses who were experiencing the new world that had opened to them with the freedom of travel and choice of profession. In other words, with the arrival of late-nineteenth century modernity, people’s gaze expanded both horizontally and vertically. During this period, Japan was in the midst of a rapid process of modernization, aiming at catching up with the Western Great Powers. Concurrently, the Japanese Democracy movement that endorsed values of liberty and civil rights had spread nationwide, and its theorists were among cultural figures who promoted modern and cultural entertainment forms – including the panorama. However, the earlier promises of the Meiji Emperor on creating a democratic society were soon replaced by the pursuit of Japanese Monarchy. The Constitution of the Empire of Japan in 1890 put an end to the Democracy movement and to the freedom of expression. Excavating the visual culture around the panorama and its environment, this article offers an alternative viewpoint on the atmosphere of Japan in the late nineteenth century.

摘要

这幅全景画于 1890 年被引入日本，当时是封建社会崩溃的 20 年后。不仅水平的360度视角对日本观众来说是新奇的，而且透视绘制的写实油画也是如此。同年，在毗邻的浅草和上野两个主要全景厅所在的地区，建造了一座 12 层的观景塔，并进行了第一次热气球升空。这些奇观为正在体验新世界的群众提供了新的视觉体验，新世界向他们敞开了旅行和职业选择的自由。换言之，随着十九世纪末现代性的到来，人们的视线在横向和纵向上都扩大了。在此期间，日本正处于快速的现代化进程中，目标是赶上西方大国。与此同时，拥护自由和公民权利价值观的日本民主运动在全国范围内蔓延，其理论家是推动包括全景在内的现代文化娱乐形式的文化人物之一。然而，明治天皇早先关于建立民主社会的承诺很快被追求日本君主制所取代。1890 年的日本帝国宪法结束了民主运动和言论自由。本文围绕全景及其环境挖掘视觉文化，为 19 世纪后期日本的氛围提供另一种视角。它的理论家是推动现代和文化娱乐形式的文化人物之一 - 包括全景。然而，明治天皇早先关于建立民主社会的承诺很快被追求日本君主制所取代。1890 年的日本帝国宪法结束了民主运动和言论自由。本文围绕全景及其环境挖掘视觉文化，为 19 世纪后期日本的氛围提供另一种视角。它的理论家是推动现代和文化娱乐形式的文化人物之一 - 包括全景。然而，明治天皇早先关于建立民主社会的承诺很快被追求日本君主制所取代。1890 年的日本帝国宪法结束了民主运动和言论自由。本文围绕全景及其环境挖掘视觉文化，为 19 世纪后期日本的氛围提供另一种视角。1890 年的日本帝国宪法结束了民主运动和言论自由。本文围绕全景及其环境挖掘视觉文化，为 19 世纪后期日本的氛围提供另一种视角。1890 年的日本帝国宪法结束了民主运动和言论自由。本文围绕全景及其环境挖掘视觉文化，为 19 世纪后期日本的氛围提供另一种视角。