Yes the Japanese had the trope of the "Naughty Nurse" back in 1905. The style of artwork called Shunga, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shunga featured dozens (that I have found) of prints that included Japanese military nurses. Searching in Japanese with "Google" turned up these following
images that I have edited for my blog. Of course the trouble with editing is that the viewer knows darn well what is being edited.
The internet site edited the officer's face below with a coin for some reason.
The detail that stood out on these sample is that the nurses all have red petticoats. This detail either shows that the artists liked red petticoats or that nurses were issued red petticoats, OR that these red petticoats were a traditional garment already worn by Japanese women as shown in these samples of illustrations below. Most samples are the famous female pearl divers or courtesans.
Funny what you can find when you are looking for something else. These samples from kimono exhibits or kimono garments for sale turn up examples of red petticoats. Petticoat is of course a western word but translated to Japanese, it seems to work in finding this garment.
I have an interest in RJW, but his is new to me. BTW, I think I recognize that coin! :)
ReplyDeleteI say! Good Lord! It's a jolly good job our British nurses in the Franco-Prussian War (with the Prussians, of course) were made of sterner stuff.
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