For much of the Edo period (1615−1868), the Dutch were the only Westerners officially permitted to engage in trade with Japan. The privilege of trade, however, came with requirements and strict regulations regarding much of the activities of the Dutch traders in Nagasaki. Rules dictated the timing of the arrival and departure of ships, the process for loading and unloading vessels, and the opportunity to move about freely. Senior officials of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) were expected to make appearances, present gifts, and otherwise accommodate the demands of the various authorities in order to maintain good trade relations. In addition to the long journey from Nagasaki to Edo (present-day Tokyo) for an annual meeting with the shogun, the governors of Nagasaki and their officers, local daimyō (feudal lords), and other Japanese officials had similar demands.
Prior to 1794, the Japanese mandated that the chief and senior merchant (opperhoofd) of the VOC’s Japan operation be replaced annually. Upon arriving, the newly appointed chief would be required to introduce himself and present his credentials to local authorities. Pictured here is a VOC officer surrounded by Japanese officials. Small labels with ink inscriptions are affixed to the surface of the painting. The long inscription at top left indicates that this meeting is taking place in the reception room of an immigration office in Nagasaki. The portrayal of the chief includes the common traits by which the Dutch had come to be identified in much of Japanese art: a large nose, long hair, a wide-brimmed hat, a long coat, and closed shoes with heels. Further accentuating his foreignness, the Dutchman is placed in a chair, while everyone else in the room is seated on tatami mats in traditional Japanese fashion.
At bottom left is a group of VOC employees. Many crew members, servants, and other workers that were part of the Dutch maritime trade were Javanese from the area around Batavia (present-day Jakarta), where the VOC had established its Southeast Asia headquarters in 1619. Other workers came from regions through which Dutch trade ships passed en route to Japan, including South Africa, India, Sri Lanka, and the many islands of the Pacific.
2025