Perry Portrait - MM
Matthew Matsudaira
In the 19th century, Americans knew little of the Japanese, mainly due to the isolated nature of Japan during these years. In fact Japan enacted a “Don’t think twice” policy during the years 1825 to 1842 in which the national government encouraged portside guns to fire on any Western-power ships in an effort to keep Western influence and potential violence out. As a result, Americans during this age thought of the Japanese as analogous to the other Asians with which social contact was greater, such as the Chinese, although perhaps a bit more superior in civilization – whatever that could mean (very few had seen Japan) (Dower). On the contrary, Japan’s view of the United States was limited to those who visited Japan, such as Commodore Matthew Perry. The Japanese view of Americans at this point in time, based almost entirely on Perry’s visit, is made manifest in one broadsheet portrait of that commodore.
In this image, we see a highly exaggerated portrayal of the commander, sporting a grotesquely pointed nose and a neck engulfed in large, flat wrinkles. Perry is given thick eyebrows, bulging round eyes with no eyelashes, and a beard-stache that is literally an oval that traces around the outline of his lips. The depiction is almost reminiscent of a dragon, rather than a human, although Perry is allowed a sword (and a rather oriental looking sword at that). However this monstrous face is accompanied by well-tailored military dress, as if to underline the idea that this demonic power was a representative of a higher power. Perhaps at face value it would seem as though this picture is simply proof that the Japanese were terrible artists, especially considering the included caption in Japanese “a true likeness of the commanding officer from the Republic of North America”, but there may actually be reasoning for the more monster-like image.
The portrait was published in 1854, right after the opening of Japanese ports to Commodore Perry. Although the actual producer is unknown, it is not too far-fetched to assume the portrait came from a shogunate/government related source considering it was so well circulated throughout Japan. As a cheap monochrome printed broadsheet, it would also be reasonable to assume the image was circulated to all people groups, not just the highest in the social ladder. The image thus was sent throughout Japan as an informative device for the general populace. Because at the time that this image was produced, Japan was in a period of forced isolation from Western powers, and because Japan was suddenly forced into opening port to America, the image could be seen as a method to justify Japan’s choice to open its ports while maintaining some sense of xenophobia. Justify, because the Japanese people could be convinced by the dragon-faced Commodore that Americans are “scary” and powerful. Maintain xenophobia, because the image is still demonic and rather unattractive, which could maintain nationalistic disdain for Americans.
Perhaps the question here would be on the actual influence of this picture on the general opinion of Japanese people on Americans, and whether that had any tangible effect in Japan – U.S. relations henceforth. These effects could be found in more first person accounts of events, government funded circulated information further down the years, and through personal journals. We know from history that Japan and the United States enter into war against each other not too long after, and perhaps there is a connection to the continued alienation, disdain, and distrust emphasized here by the demonic image of Commodore Perry.
Sources Cited
Professor Howell’s Lectures – (If not cited within text, information is assumed to come from lectures)
Dower, John W. “Black Ships and Samurai”. Web. 2010. http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/black_ships_and_samurai/bss_essay01.html