The Portuguese Discoveries marked the beginning of globalization, bringing into contact civilizations that had previously been unknown to each other or had very little interaction. Namban art, exemplified by three caskets on display at the MAH, reflects the cultural exchange resulting from the complex network of trade routes established by the Portuguese from the 16th century onwards. Careful observation of scenes depicted by Japanese artists on folding screens from this period allows us to travel back in time and witness the first encounters between the Japanese and the Portuguese, whom they called Namban, meaning “barbarians of the south.”
Target audience: adaptable according to age group
