Kawahara Keiga

View of the Nagasaki Harbor

Kawahara Keiga

View of the Nagasaki Harbor

Framed artwork, ink and color on silk

80 cm (vertical) × 54 cm (horizontal) 

This painting of a majestic blue harbor narrates the story of early modern East Asian and Western European exchanges. The painting centers on the Nagasaki Harbor, with the sea occupying the majority of the composition. Similar works can be found in prominent institutions such as the Kyushu National Museum in Japan and the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands. From a stylistic perspective, the artist employs a bird’s-eye view to depict the Nagasaki Harbor scene. The arrangement of urban buildings and the handling of shadows enhance the painting’s strong sense of spatial depth, illustrating the artist’s intent to portray an East Asian harbor using Western painting techniques.

 
Judging from the image, the artist likely viewed the Nagasaki Harbor from Mount Konpira located north of the city. To the right is Mount Inasa, and to the left foreground is Nagasaki’s urban landscape. Following the coastline into the distance, the surrounding mountains form a natural barrier protecting the harbor, leaving only a narrow strait for ships to navigate. On the sea, Japanese Edo-period vessels are spotted together with Dutch ships (flying the red, white, and blue tricolor flag) and Chinese ships (that regularly sailed the East and South China Seas). Along the coastline lies Dejima, a fan-shaped artificial island constructed in 1641 that served as the exclusive residence for the Dutch. On the left, another square-shaped artificial island can be seen, housing warehouses for Chinese merchants to store goods. Beyond this is the temporary dwelling area for Chinese traders, referred to in Japan as Tōjin Yashiki or Tang House. These overseas merchants, though primarily engaged in trade, sparked a remarkable fusion of Eastern and Western artistic exchanges in this vibrant setting.
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