Georges Ferdinand Bigot, who had previously been active in France as an illustrator, first came to Japan in 1882 out of admiration for Japanese ukiyo-e and its manners and customs. While working in Japan as an illustrator, he published a satirical magazine for the local expat community, Tobae. In the magazine’s first issue, he published a now well-known cartoon A Party of Fishing. (1887), which depicted in a fishing scene the tension brewing between Japan, Qing Dynasty China, and Russia over the Korean Peninsula. In addition to such caricatures, Bigot also made many oil and watercolor paintings depicting the various customs of regional Japan. This is one such work, showing Uchiura Bay in Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture. During his stay in Japan, Bigot continued to submit artworks to the Salon in Paris. It seems likely his interest in Japan also served the purpose of providing subject matter for his Salon entries.
(MINAMISHIMA Ko)
Georges Ferdinand Bigot, who had previously been active in France as an illustrator, first came to Japan in 1882 out of admiration for Japanese ukiyo-e and its manners and customs. While working in Japan as an illustrator, he published a satirical magazine for the local expat community, Tobae. In the magazine’s first issue, he published a now well-known cartoon A Party of Fishing. (1887), which depicted in a fishing scene the tension brewing between Japan, Qing Dynasty China, and Russia over the Korean Peninsula. In addition to such caricatures, Bigot also made many oil and watercolor paintings depicting the various customs of regional Japan. This is one such work, showing Uchiura Bay in Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture. During his stay in Japan, Bigot continued to submit artworks to the Salon in Paris. It seems likely his interest in Japan also served the purpose of providing subject matter for his Salon entries.
(MINAMISHIMA Ko)