There are times when art is purely decorative, other times it might give us unique insights into historical times. This is such a print. But it requires a bit of backstory.
The Shogun Tokugawa issued an edict around 1630 that all foreigners in Japan be relegated to an artificial island off Nagasaki called Dejima. By 1639, all foreigners were expelled under the policy of sakoku, with the exception of Dutch traders on the island of Dejima in Nagasaki, beginning a period of isolation. Prior to that time it served as a trading post for the Portuguese.
This time in Japanese history is called the Edo or Togugawa period and it was roughly between 1603 and 1868.
Due to a Christian uprising, they were expelled in 1639 and the practice of christianity was forbidden. From about 1641 to 1859 it was inhabited by Dutchmen. Japanese were forbidden to visit the island with the exception of a few merchants, tax collectors and perhaps an occasional courtesan.
In 1859, after over two hundred years, the edict was reversed and a treaty was made with the Dutch to build ships for Japan, something which opened up the island. Japanese flocked to Dejima to get their first look at the foreign "barbarians."
Utagawa Yoshitora (active 1850-1880) was the name of the artist who created this print of dutchmen somewhere between 1861 and 1863. It is titled "Banko Wakai" or Barbarian languages on the top banner and Dutchmen or "Oranjin" on the right vertical.
It is part of a series, enormously popular at the time, called Yokohama-e prints, the Japanese had a great curiosity for these foreigners, somewhat like circus amusements. One dutchman here smokes a long clay pipe, which was probably also very unusual in Japan.
I find it quite fascinating.
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