The Trading Post at Dejima, anonymous, c. 1840
brush and ink on silk, w 113cm × h 15cm × d 60.5cm More details
In 1641 the Dutch merchants in Japan were housed on a small fan-shaped island in Nagasaki Bay called Dejima. This handscroll affords a glimpse of the foreigners’ daily life at the post. They engage in a game of badminton, and the Japanese painter emphasized exotic aspects, including imported animals and the European custom of tipping one’s hat as a gesture of greeting.
