"First Landing of the Americans in Japan"

 
Brown, Eliphalet M. Jr. (Art and Publisher)
Heine, Wilhelm (Art):
"First Landing of the Americans in Japan" from the folio titled Illustrations of the Japan Expedition, 1855. A lithograph from a folio of six (6) large ("Elephant" folio) high quality hand colored lithographic prints (36 1/2 x 26 in - 92.5 x 65.5 cm) produced and published by Brown in 1855 and printed by the lithographic printer of Sarony & Co, New York. The lithograph reproduces a drawing by Wilhelm Heine.

 
Titling (in order shown on print):

W. HEINE DEL -- E. BROWN Jr. DIREX -- SARONY AND CO LITH, N.Y.
(Explanation of abbreviations above: "DEL" = Drawn by - "DIREX" = Directed by)

FIRST LANDING OF THE AMERICANS IN JAPAN

UNDER COMMODORE M.C. PERRY AT GORE-HAMA JULY 14th 1853.

To Commodore M.C. Perry, Officers and men of the Japan Expedition,this Print is respectfully dedicated by their Obt Servts, Heine and Brown, Jr.

Published by E. Brown, Jr. 142 Fulton St. New York.

Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1855 by E. Brown in the Clerks Office of the District Court of the Southern District of NY.

 
Lithograph Characteristics:

Type: Hand colored chromolithograph
Plate Size: 36 1/2 x 26 in -- 92.5 x 65.5 cm
Printed on medium thick high quality card type stock

 
Key Images from the Print:

  Major Scene in the lithograph.

 
The Americans' military formation during the actual landing.

 
Context of Lithograph in the Perry Expedition to Japan.

Perry's squadron of four ships arrived at Yedo Bay on July 7, 1853 and anchored off the city of Uraga. On this first visit to Japan, Perry's primary mission was to deliver the President's letter to the Emperor of Japan. This lithograph depicts Perry's landing in Japan on July 14, 1853 to deliver the President's letter.

The abridged narrative states:

The guides in the Japanese boats pointed to the landing place toward the centre of the curved shore, where a temporary wharf had been built out from the beach by means of bags of sand and straw. The advance boat soon touched the spot, and Captain Buchanan, who commanded the party, sprang ashore, being the first of the Americans who landed in the Kingdom of Japan. He was immediately followed by Major Zeilin, of the marines. The rest of the boats now pulled in and disembarked their respective loads. The marines (one hundred) marched up the wharf, and formed into line on either side, facing the sea; then came the hundred sailors, who were also ranged in rank and file as they advanced, while the two bands brought up the rear. The whole number of Americans, including sailors, marines, musicians, and officers, amounted to nearly three hundred; no very formidable array, but still quite enough for a peaceful occasion, and composed of very vigorous, able-bodied men, who contrasted strongly with the smaller and more effeminate-looking Japanese. These latter had mustered in great force, the amount of which the governor of Uraga stated to be five thousand; but, seemingly, they far outnumbered that. Their line extended around the whole circuit of the beach, from the further extremity of the village to the abrupt acclivity of the hill which bounded the bay on the northern side; while an immense number of the soldiers thronged in, behind and under cover of the cloth screens which stretched along the rear. The loose order of this Japanese army did not betoken any very great degree of discipline. The soldiers were tolerably well armed and equipped. Their uniform was very much like the ordinary Japanese dress. Their arms were swords, spears, and match-locks. Those in front were all infantry, archers and lancers; but large bodies of cavalry were seen behind, somewhat in the distance, as if held in reserve. The horses of these seemed of a fine breed, hardy, of good bottom, and brisk in action; and these troopers, with their rich caparisons, presented at least a showy cavalcade. Along the base of the rising ground which ascended behind the village, and entirely in the rear of the soldiers, was a large number of the inhabitants, among whom there was quite an assemblage of women, who gazed with intense curiosity, through the openings in the line of the military, upon the stranger visitors from another hemisphere.

On the arrival of the Commodore, his suite of officers formed a double line along the landing place, and as he passed up between, they fell into order behind him. The procession was then formed and took up its march toward the house of reception, the route to which was pointed out by Kayama Yezaiman and his interpreter, who preceded the party. The marines led the "way, and the sailors following, the Commodore was duly escorted up the beach. The United States flag and the broad pennant were borne by two athletic seamen, who had been selected from the crews of the squadron on account of their stalwart proportions. Two boys, dressed for the ceremony, preceded the Commodore, bearing in an envelope of scarlet cloth the boxes which contained his credentials and the President's letter. These documents, of folio size, were beautifully written on vellum, and not folded, but bound in blue silk velvet. Each seal, attached by cords of interwoven gold and silk with pendant gold tassels, was encased in a circular box six inches in diameter and three in depth, wrought of pure gold. Each of the documents, together with its seal, was placed in a box of rosewood about a foot long, with lock, hinges, and mountings, all of gold. On either side of the Commodore marched a tall, well-formed negro, who, armed to the teeth, acted as his personal guard. These blacks, selected for the occasion, were two of the best-looking fellows of their color that the squadron could furnish. All this parade was but for effect. (Pages 294-5, Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan, Performed in the Years of 1852, 1852, and 1854, Under the Command of Commodore M. C. Perry, United States Navy, compiled by Francis L. Hawks, published by D. Appleton, New York, 1856 and 1857, 624 pp)

 
Related Lithograph in Official Narrative. A similar scene to "First Landing of the Americans in Japan" is found in Volume 1 of the U.S. Government published Narrative of the Japan Expedition. It is found at page 256 and titled "First Landing at Gorahama" The lithograph is based upon Wilhelm Heine's drawings.

"First Landing at Gorahama" by Wilhelm Heine

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