The Visitor Palmeira

Japan's Christian Century (1550–1650)

I found this in Alexandra Curvelo’s wonderful book on Nanban folding screen masterpieces—and it made me laugh at the way Westerners were seen in 16th century Japan.

The Father Visitor Valignano (1539-1696) is depicted above in a beautiful nanban screen from the Edo period, now kept in Lisbon. Below is a quote describing Valignano from an almost contemporary book called the Kirishitan Monogatari (Tale of the Christians), published in 1639.

During the reign of emperor Go-Nara (1526-1557), the hundred and eighth sovereign since the Emperor Jimmu, there came on a nanban merchantman a creature one couldn’t put a name to, that appeared to have human form at first glance, but might as well be a long-nosed goblin, or a long-necked demon of the sort that disguise themselves as Buddhist lay priests in order to trick people. Careful inquiry revealed that the creature was called a “padre.” The first thing one noticed was how long its nose was! It was like a wartless conch-shell, stuck onto his face by suction. How big its eyes were! They were like pair a pair of telescopes, but the irises were yellow. Its head was small; it had long claws on its hands and feet. It was over seven feet tall and was black in color but its nose was red; its teeth were longer than horses’ teeth, and its hair was mouse gray. Above its forehead it’d shaped a spot on its pate about the size of an overturned sake cup. Its speech was incomprehensible to the ear; its voice resembled the screech of an owl. Everyone ran to see it, mobbing the roads with abandon.