Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original filePortret van Hasekura Tsunenaga
About This Work
The figure is depicted in traditional Japanese attire, including a patterned kimono and hakama, while holding a folded document. He wears a Christian rosary with a crucifix around his waist and carries a katana, reflecting his status as a samurai convert to Catholicism. This engraving commemorates his arrival in Rome in 1615 during the Keichō Embassy to meet Pope Paul V.
Engraved by Aegidius Sadeler, the court artist for Rudolf II, this work reflects the late Renaissance fascination with global exploration and the 'wonders' of the non-European world. It documents a rare moment of early modern cultural exchange between the Far East and the Papacy during a period of intense religious and philosophical shifting in Europe.
Inscriptions
Raph. Sadeler Iun. excudit. PHILIPPVS FRANCISCVS FAXICVRA. Ex Iapone Legatus Regis Voxunensis ad Paulum V. Pont. M. Romam venit VII. Calend. Nouemb. CIƆ. IƆC. XV.
Translation
Raph. Sadeler Jr. published this. PHILIPPUS FRANCISCUS FAXICURA. An envoy from the King of Voxu, from Japan, he came to Rome to Pope Paul V on the 26th of October, 1615.
Connected Texts
Pope Paul V
Hasekura was sent as an official ambassador from Japan to negotiate trade and religious recognition with Pope Paul V.
Provenance & Source
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
paper
height 131 mm x width 215 mm
portrait
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 2, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.