The first postcard was sent from Bitchu, Takahashi by Shimizu Tadashi (1860-1905) to Maeda Yoshihiko (1849-1904) on January 2, 1889. It is a typical New Year's greeting card. The second card dated July 3, 1889 is interesting, as it refers to Maeda as an "oil paint artist" (油画師, abura-e-shi).
While little is known about Shimizu Tadashi, it is documented that he was an educator and civil servant in Takahashi, Okayama. He played a significant role in assisting Shigeko Fukunishi (福西志計子, 1848-1898) in establishing Junsei Girls' School (順正高等女学校) in 1881. Occasionally, he used the pen name "Keigai."
Shimizu Tadashi's son, Shimizu Hian (清水比庵, 1883-1975), later gained prominence as a poet, calligrapher, painter, and politician. His artworks are featured in many American museums, including the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the time this postcard was mailed, Shimizu Hian was only six years old. The message side of the postcard is printed.
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