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Japanese Exchange with Europe and China in the 16th–19th Century

  • Image of "World Map, By Joan Blaeu, 1648 (Important Cultural Property, Gift of the Koishikawa Arsenal)"

    World Map, By Joan Blaeu, 1648 (Important Cultural Property, Gift of the Koishikawa Arsenal)

    Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room T2
    November 19, 2019 (Tue) - December 25, 2019 (Wed)

    In ancient and medieval times, Japan mainly adopted ideas and material culture from China and Korea. The arrival of Europeans in the mid-16th century, however, led to the introduction of new worldviews, technology, and science, such as Christianity, firearms, and the study of anatomy.

    In this thematic exhibition, we are showing objects and resources chronicling Japanese exchange with Europe and China from the 16th to the 19th century.

    The first part introduces Christian materials brought by Jesuit priests and South-European traders. The second focuses on the figurehead of the first Dutch ship to arrive in Japan in 1600: "Charity." The third includes images commissioned by the Chinese Qing emperor, and materials of the "Dutch Studies" scholar Kutsuki Masatsuna (1750–1802).
     

 Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
 Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Christian Altar with Balloon Flowers, Butterflies, Autumn Leaves, and Deer, Japan (altar) and Mexico (mosaic), Azuchi-Momoyama period, 16th–17th century
Crucifixion, Engraved and published by Thomas de Leu, France, Found in Fukui, 16th–17th century
Erasmus, 1598 (Important Cultural Property, Lent by Ryūkōin Temple, Tochigi)
Report of the Voyage of Four Young Japanese Men to Rome, 1585 (Important Cultural Property)
World Map, By Joan Blaeu ,Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1648 (Important Cultural Property, Gift of the Koishikawa Arsenal)

 

Pamphlet

近世日本と外国文化
Japanese Exchange with Europe and China in the 16th–19th Century

The pamphlet is also distributed at the information desk of the Honkan (Main Building) during the thematic exhibition period.

PDFPDF, 16.4MB)