1946.01.03 “Now He tells me!”
by “Ted”
7.5 x 14 in., ink on board
Coppola Collection
No information on the artist or venue.
On January 1, 1946, Hirohito publicly renounced the idea that he was divine. This was a foundational moment in the US occupation of Japan.
The ruined city is postwar Japan, after the devastation of 1945. The traditional dress (kimono) evokes “old Japan,” while the fedora flying off pushes on Western influence (occupation culture).
“Now he tells me!” is a pure punchline. People were asked to believe in imperial divinity, and suffer for it, only to have it revoked at high cost.
