Dutch mission to Edo – Nagasaki-e, ca. 1800

紅毛人行列之図 　全 | “Komoujingyoretsunozu Zen” [Complete Picture of the Procession of Red-Haired People]. Woodblock print in colour, published around 1800. Size (paper): 27,5 x 39,5 cm.

From the 1630s until the mid-nineteenth century, Japan was virtually closed off to foreigners. From 1641 onward, the Dutch were the only Westerners permitted to reside and trade there. However, they had to comply with strict regulations and were only allowed to live on Dejima, an artificial island in the harbour of Nagasaki.

The Dutch in Dejima were obligated to travel to Edo once a year—a tribute mission. (After 1790, due to declining trade, this occurred once every four years.) Such a journey required extensive preparation. During the previous visit, the shogun would have made a list of gifts he expected to receive on the next occasion. These included items such as a crystal chandelier, mirrors, spectacles, lenses, telescopes, darkroom glasses, barometers, compasses, clocks, firearms (like pistols and mortars), and a firefighting apparatus. In addition, globes, atlases, books, violins, medicines, landscape paintings, Turkish or Persian carpets, damask, and silk were requested. Animals and exotic birds, as well as seeds of flowers and plants, were also on the list. Because the Japanese, from high to low, had high expectations, the procession resembled a parade, with pack animals loaded with gifts.

The procession consisted of the VOC Chief of Dejima, the surgeon, and the secretary. Additionally, numerous Japanese (appointed by the governor of Nagasaki) joined, including policemen, interpreters, porters for the palanquins, and bearers for food and all other items, including the gifts for the shogun. Such a procession could include more than 100 people. The group would depart around mid-February, intending to arrive in Edo by the end of March.

This is a so-called Nagasaki print, a woodblock print relating to Nagasaki. These were popular during the Edo period (1603–1868) and often depicted foreigners or their curious objects, such as ships. The “red-haired barbarians” were a spectacle, and these prints catered to public fascination. The Japanese government had appointed painters on Dejima with the task of documenting the daily life of the Dutch. Their work was published in print form and bought as souvenirs by Japanese travelers during their stay in Nagasaki. Due to the fragility of the thin paper on which they were printed, they have become rare today.

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