Namban (Southern Barbarians) Screens by Kano Naizen, 1598-1615
Namban (Southern Barbarians) Screens by Kano Naizen, 1598-1615

Namban (Southern Barbarians) Screens by Kano Naizen, 1598-1615

This work depicts a scene showing Europeans and Christian missionaries in a Japanese setting near the ocean. A European ship, shops, and a Christian church is shown in the Namban Screens as well. The work as a whole connects to themes of Global Baroque Art discussed in class since the work illustrates the tangible impact of Christian missionaries in Japan. For example, the church shown in the screen mostly resembles a Japanese temple; however, at the top of the temple sits a symbol that contains an image of the cross, illustrating that the Japanese temple acted as a Christian church. In addition, the contrast between the puffy clothes the Europeans wear and the comparatively simple clothes the Japanese wear helps illustrate how the Jesuits were noticed by the Japanese and were an item that clearly differentiated Jesuits from the Japanese. By highlighting these differences, the work is conveying the physical impact the Jesuits were having across Japan at the moment and connects to the theme of how Jesuits were able to make substantial inroads in spreading Christianity in Asia.

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