Donnerstag
13
JUN

18.15 Uhr

The Material Culture of Japan’s two Early-Modern Embassies

Ishibashi Foundation Special Lecture

Prof. Dr. Anton Schweizer, Ishibashi Foundation Visiting Professor, Universität Heidelberg / Kyushu University

Two famous missions were sent from Japan to Catholic Southern Europe, respectively, in 1582-1590 and 1613-1620. The fi rst (Tenshō mission) was orchestrated by the Jesuits as a public relations stunt. It was designed to highlight their success in proselytizing among the ruling samurai elite and also meant to overwhelm the four young Japanese emissaries with the grandeur of some of Europe’s largest urban centers. The second (Keichō mission) was, in contrast, sent by the warlord Date Masamune with knowledge and logistical support from the just consolidating Tokugawa shogunate in an attempt to open direct trade connections between Japan and New Spain (Mexico). This lecture traces the material culture invested in both undertakings and raises the claim that both should be seen as formative moments in early European conceptions of East Asia and Japan.

Adresse

CATS – Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies, Gebäude 4010

CATS Auditorium R.010.01.05

Voßstraße 2

69115 Heidelberg

Veranstalter

Institut für Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens

Homepage Veranstalter

http://iko.uni-hd.de/

Kontakt

Institut für Kunstgeschichte Ostasiens

Kontakt URL

http://iko.uni-hd.de/