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"Red-Seal" Ship

Early 17th century
Artist/maker unknown, Japanese
From 1604 until 1635, the Japanese government granted "red-seal" licenses to oceangoing merchant ships to trade with regions south of Japan, including Indochina, the Philippines, Macao, and Taiwan. On this screen, Japanese and Portuguese sailors (the earliest Europeans to come to Japan) make music, drink, wrestle, perform tricks, play go, and eat to entertain themselves aboard ship.

Object Details

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