Assignment 3: Places

Above is an image of the Tokaido, a road running from Kyoto to Edo (important cities). In this image you really get a sense of vastness from the setting. Large trees and mountain tops in the background give the viewer a sense of vastness and gives them an idea of what the Tokaido weaves through. The image also gives viewers a different setting from the main cities. Beato shows the remote side of Japan by capturing an image of a remote village resting at one point on the Tokaido.

It is interesting with the placement of the people. I believe their positions in the photo were unplanned. I want to say that he captured this shot with out making contact with the villagers. The villagers not knowing whats going on stand and look in bewilderment. This photo depicts the remoteness that Japan can sometimes provide but it also shows the inactivity taking place on the Tokaido.

When it comes down to it, this photo is meant to be aesthetically pleasing. It is a beautiful scene of lush country side. This something a boy from south Georgia (me) can appreciate.

http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/beato_places/fb1_essay02.html

Assignment 3: People

Above is a photo by Beato of a staged execution. I would think that images like these would be very popular among westerners for the "violence" taking place in the photo.Violence being something associated with uncivilized people as if violence is foreign to westerners at any point in history.

We have just recently started reading about gazes and I guess I will start there. Even though this is a staged execution the emotion expressed on the "executioner's" face seems to be very accurate to this point in time of a real execution. Its a very intense look barreling into the back of his victims neck (his target). Its a intra-diagetic gaze depicting a high level of seriousness. A calm before the storm. If this was a real execution, then the samurai's face would become very tense and strained as he proceeded to remove the prisoner's head in one quick precise and powerful swing.

While we are talking about gaze, how could the victims gaze be described as. I did not see a term in our readings for a gaze in which has been taken or obstructed.

When discussing the details of this photo is the rope tied around the prisoners neck which was used by the samurai to guide his victim to his final resting place. A leash really. Another detail would be the placement of his sword. Like his face I feel like this photo captured the moment right before the action is to be carried out. If this were a real execution his sword would be cocked back and swung forward soon after this photo was taken. The seriousness of this photo is reinforced in the essay when it is followed by images of REAL decapitated heads.

I have a question about the shape of the photo itself. I don't know much about photography so why is it that a lot of older pictures are oval shape. Is it a portrait style or something else?

http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/beato_people/fb2_essay01.html

Undying Pride

This woodblock print reminds me of a lot of the Mongol Scrolls (both invasions taking place in Edo as well I think). This image of Samurai looking all "decked-out" preparing to defend their pure homeland from barbaric invaders. The way I described this print really describes the what the artist was trying to get across. The noble larger than life samurai preparing for war. The color usage really makes the print pretty exciting. It matches all the excitement happening within the print.

Another thing that is pretty cool about the print is how it makes both sides look pretty good. He makes the Samurai look very heroic and battle-worthy while the foreign invaders ships look massive and ominous. All of this I am sure was exaggerated to a certain degree. Not to mention this print was made several years after the event that took place within the print.

The creation of this print, I believe, was really to strike a Nationalist sense of pride into the Japan natives. An image of this would really (and probably was) appreciated during the second world war in which Japan would be pitted against the west yet again.

Asahi is for Gentlemen

If you don't know already and if you can't tell from the photo Asahi is a popular Japanese beer. First off I would have to say that this advertisement appeals to the mail gender. The man in this photo is of a 'wealthy' Hugh Hefner type. His outfit suggests as much. Also the gray hair of the man suggests the noted "distinction" along with experience. Using this age suggests that the man has experienced many beers and Asahi is one of choice. Now what is a little strange is the choice of adding the hawk. could possibly mean that he is a man of many hobbies. Hobbies that are not of the average man. Overall I feel as though that the beer is trying to promate that is the beer of choice for sophisticated playboys (something that many men would like to be).

Now the choice of using a white man to advertise a Japanese beer is not a way to promote unity in any sense but rather to promote the beer to a western audience. Or maybe it is to show Japanese citizens that "even the big time westerners drink Asahi, so you should too". I see this repetition through many Asahi advertisements. Below is a link to a video rather than just a single image but it contains many of the themes that this image does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTDh5eWYKdE