The German-Chinese-Japanese Warship: Representations of National Identity and Cultural Significance of War in Art, c. 1885–1896

Abstract

The history of the warship Zhenyuan/Chin’en 鎮遠 built in Germany for the Chinese navy and captured by the Japanese in 1895 during the First Sino-Japanese War is depicted in several different types of art works: not only multiple Japanese woodblock prints but also Chinese and Western illustrations show scenes involving this battleship. Combining these art works with historical accounts allows one to capture the significance of the ship as a symbol of national pride and identity of the different nations involved in its transnational history.