Folding Screen with the Arrival of a Portuguese Ship
Summary
The arrival of Portuguese ships in Nagasaki Harbour was quite an attraction in the early 17th century. This is what is taking place here, with the merchandise being unloaded at the left and the captain under a parasol at the right. Such screens were probably made for the Japanese merchant class, which made a fortune from the lucrative overseas trade with Portugal. They depict the foreign contacts in a nutshell for the Japanese spectator.
Tags
Date
1600 - 1625
Source
Rijksmuseum
Copyright info
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication ("CCO 1.0 Dedication")