Graphic advertising for Western-style sweets and visual representations of young girl in modern Japan

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H07340
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Fine art history
• Research Institution: International Research Center for Japanese Studies
• Principal Investigator: Maekawa Shiori 国際日本文化研究センター, 研究部, 特任助教 (80805664)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: デザイン史 / 広告 / 洋菓子 / 子ども / 少女 / 嗜好品 / 視覚文化論

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to consider how advertisings for Western-style sweets in modern Japan are connected with visual representations of young girl from the viewpoint of visual culture studies. Through analyzing advertisings for Western-style sweets of Morinaga & Co. from the 1910’s through the 40’s with the categories of child and young girl, I traced the transition of these visual images until they were connected with the gendered representations. It was also mentioned that these representations were closely linked to the characteristics of the commodity that had two meanings as a rational food that contributes to health and education, and as a pleasure product that brings pleasure for the body and the mind.

Free Research Field

日本近代美術史、デザイン史、視覚文化論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この研究成果の学術的・社会的意義とは、第一に、洋菓子という商品を考察の中心に置き、従来のモダン・デザインを中心とする研究では見逃された広告表現に注目することで、近代日本の広告表現が童画、漫画、抒情画、映画などが重なり合う間メディア的で横断的な特徴をもつことを示したこと、第二に、商品の消費者としての子どもや少女に注目する一方、子どもや少女の表象がさまざまな層に消費される様を描出することで、従来の子ども・少女文化研究や挿絵研究に欠落した視点を補ったことなどにある。