Individual Paper
5. Transmitting Knowledges: Institutions, Objects and Practices
From the mid-18th century onward, a series of Nagasaki prints featuring the portrayal of Dutchmen with Javanese individuals gained popularity in Japan during the Edo period. The images of the Dutchmen undoubtedly played a pivotal role in exhibitions related to cultural exchange. Interestingly, the Javanese servants accompanying the Dutch captain have received little attention, despite their abundant presence in Nagasaki's visual materials. Additionally, the Javanese have also been frequently depicted in various Chinese books since the 16th century. For instance, in the late 16th-century novel "The Golden Lotus," Java is described as a remote place.
Given the context mentioned above, the central question of this discussion is how the Javanese were portrayed through images and texts in the East Asian world. To address this question, this paper first delves into the iconography of the Javanese, with a focus on Nagasaki prints. Furthermore, by comparing Javanese images from different times and regions, it highlights the transformation of the Javanese image and the interconnected network of material culture linking China, Japan, and Holland. The conclusion not only underscores the exchange of material culture in the East and South China Sea region but also emphasizes a means of showcasing the Javanese in East Asia.
Lunghsing Chu
National Palace Museum, Taiwan