INVITATION TO A LECTURE - JAPAN, THE WEST, AND THE REPRESENTATION OF THE OTHER: MANGA AND (MIS)UNDERSTANDING THROUGH ART

As part of the exhibition “Japan on Paper,” the Kupferstich-Kabinett invites you to an evening lecture by Prof. em. Dr. Hans Bjarne Thomsen (Zurich).

In the second half of the 19th century, the world opened up in ways that had previously been considered unthinkable. Newspapers, telegrams, steamships, and trains traversed the globe, facilitating communication. This was also a time when cultures became more aware of one another—as exemplified by the connections between Japan and Europe.

Japanese woodblock prints served as an important medium for information exchange between the two cultures. The lecture will examine how these prints fostered cultural exchange. As will become clear, despite growing connections around the globe, misunderstandings remained an integral part of these relationships.