We are not alone: portrayals of fantastic creatures in Early Modern Japan and their Asian antecedents  

(School of Asian Studies)

7 August 2012

4-5pm

Venue: Room 501 (Pat Hanan Room), Arts 2 (Building 207)

Host: Dr Lawrence Marceau

This presentation examines the cultural origins of a number of fantastic creatures represented in a collection of images designed by Toriyama Sekien and published in illustrated woodblock-printed book form between 1776 and 1784. I argue that Sekien and his readers collaborated in a process of cultural appropriation of images from both continental Asian and from Japan’s past, the result of which allowed many creatures to assume new identities in their adopted environment.

Drinks and snacks to follow.

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