Nude Female Swimmers Pull Japanese Ferry Antique Art Print

Antique Goupil & Cie. photogravure art print from the picture by Paul M. Lenoir.

Printed on mid-weight ivory colored stock. Reverse side is blank.

Title: The Japanese Ferry

Publication: The Masterpieces of French Art

Publication Year: 1883

Approximate Page Size (in inches): 14 x 11

Approximate Image Size (in inches): 10 x 5½

Condition: Very good overall condition with some light foxing in margin area. Atticpaper.com watermark does not appear on actual print.

Japan was a sealed book, to outside civilization, within the recollection of living men, but we have now become quite familiar with its people, their manners and their customs. Were a party of American or European ladies, on their travels, to adventure such a motive power to cross a ferry as Lenoir depicts, we imagine that they would rather trust to old Neptune to float them across, than to these nude human propellers. But such is the actual mode of ferry-crossing in many parts of Japan, and the artist has very skilfully and justifiably packed the raft-like boat with ladies (and very pretty and interesting many of the Japanese ladies are), to heighten the -- to us -- startling circumstance. This is not a more extraordinary contrast of Japanese customs and our own, than many others; but a great change is taking place among them, and, much to our compliment, they are adopting our customs, while we are not adopting any of theirs, -- other kinds of ferry-boats, less "picturesque," will, no doubt soon be among them.