Very Rare Japanese Edo Period Six-Fold Screen

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About the Item

This screen depicts two Japanese ladies, probably courtesans, one of them occupied with painting a screen, the other gesturing to a small fishing boat. She seems to be announcing the arrival of a ship from the Dutch East India Company (represented by the Dutch flag and the initials VOC). During much of the Edo period, Japan shut itself off from foreign influence. However, exception was made for Dutch traders, who were allowed entry into the port of Nagasaki. The island of Dejima was in fact created to house European (first Portuguese and later Dutch) traders, who were not permitted to visit the other islands of the Japanese archipelago. Through trade with the Dutch, Japan had access to developments in Western science and technology, which they studied closely (the term for these studies was rangaku, literally "Dutch studies"). The Western topics that most interested the Japanese at this time included geography, medicine and natural sciences, astronomy, art, languages and mechanical sciences. These interests are exemplified beautifully in this screen, in the presence of the wadokei, or Japanese clock watch and the telescope by the window. Great emphasis was placed on quality of workmanship, especially in the arts, as we can see in the construction and decor of the house, and the artistic skill of the seated lady. We find the extreme linear perspective thrilling, and distinctly western. The house creates an x-form composition which opens out into the side windows and the sea, the gateway to the rest of the world. This is a vividly colored and quite rare illustration of the cultural and scientific conversation between Japan and the Dutch as emissaries of the West. Though there was a school of painting in Nagasaki which created prints and paintings featuring foreigners, often depicted in archaic style, a complete screen is an exciting discovery.

Dimensions:
Height: 54 in (137.16 cm)Width: 126 in (320.04 cm)
Place of Origin:
Japan
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Circa 1840
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. A few minor losses to painted surface; small tear in paper backing.
Seller Location:
New York, NY
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU94751075382

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