30th Anniversary of the Yokohama Museum of Art / 160th Anniversary of the Opening of Yokohama Port
"Commodore Perry Coming Ashore at Yokohama" is a painting of the arrival of the American squadron to a small village of Yokohama on March 8th 1854. The painting has often been exhibited in our collection. The image captures the historical moment of the arrival of Commodore Perry that eventually led to the opening of Yokohama Port. This painting will be the centerpiece of the exhibition that will illustrate the story of the commencement of how Yokohama became an international city.
This painting, depicting the event of March 8th 1854, is attributed to Peter Bernhard Wilhelm HEINE, who accompanied Commodore Perry on his expedition to Japan, during which time he sketched and painted numerous images. Together with photographer Eliphalet Brown Jr., Heine was the main illustrator of the expedition’s official narrative : "Narrative of the expedition of an American squadron to the China Seas and Japan : performed in the years 1852, 1853, and 1854, under the command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy, by order of the Government of the United States." It seems that photograph of the time, daguerreotype, required too long an exposure time that it made it impossible to capture the crucial moment.
At the time of Perry’s arrival, painting was the main recording medium and lithograph was just about to develop as a new method for reproduction relating to publication. This exhibition will show how visual medium such as painting, photograph, and prints interact each other to narrate and represent Perry’s expedition to Japan.
On the other hand, how did the people on the shore observe the incident of March 8th 1854? We will examine it through images illustrating Commodore Perry and his crew and the East India Squadron painted by various Japanese people. They convey the inquisitiveness and vivid curiosity of the Japanese people of the time. We will be providing various educational programs as well as talk sessions performed by our museum voluntary members in hope to enhance the rendering of Yokohama as it was 160 years ago. We hope you will enjoy them as well.
