Matthew Calbraith Perry (with Henry A. Adams)

This Japanese woodblock print depicts Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry and Henry A. Adams, key figures in the 1853 expedition that opened Japan to Western trade. The artist Furukawa Teiryo rendered the two men in profile, employing meticulous line work and subtle color washes characteristic of ukiyo-e portraiture. The composition presents a direct encounter between two individuals, their facial features distinctly individualized despite stylistic conventions. Japanese text appears above and to the sides, identifying the subjects. The work captures a moment of historical significance through the visual language of mid-19th century Japanese printmaking, documenting cross-cultural contact through portraiture.