Arkivism
Folding Screen with the Arrival of a Portuguese Ship
Public domain

Folding Screen with the Arrival of a Portuguese Ship

anonymous · c. 1600 - c. 1625 · paint; paper; dye

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

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.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Credit lineFolding Screen with the Arrival of a Portuguese Ship. c. 1600 - c. 1625. anonymous. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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