Question

How were Hiratsuka Un’ichi's images of Tokyo's destruction post-earthquake in 1925 considered to be novel/unique?

Answer 1

Following the destruction, Un'ichi walked and sketched Tokyo among the dying flames

Answer 2

His perspective really played to the Japanese concept of "place," and the areas he chose to capture added an acceptance of the new and the old/traditional aspects of what Japan was at the time and was becoming

Answer 3

The locations were distinct and simply depicted so that they were very easily recognizable, the inclusion of the Russian Orthodox Nicolai Cathedral plays to depicting how Japan was changing

Answer 4

The novelty of the works comes from the unknown method of productions and the direct simplicity of location depiction