Nabeshima Naohiro zō

This portrait depicts Nabeshima Naohiro, the Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Italy, in full court dress. It was painted in 1880 by Hyakutake Kaneyuki, a Japanese diplomat, while he we was working as First Secretary of the Japanese Legation in Italy.

The large format oil paining was prominently displayed at Japan’s embassy in Rome. The engravings on its golden frame seem to underscore Nabeshima's efforts toward harmonizing diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan. In the upper half, the frame is engraved with the Nabeshima family crest, while the bottom corners show the Italian peninsula and the Japanese archipelago.

Portrait of Nabeshima Naohiro appears to have a clear purpose: to portray a dignified government official of a respectful country on par with Western powers. Therefore, it was likely important that the painting was made by a Japanese artist, to symbolize that Japan had mastered Western technology by adopting its oil painting techniques. A painting with such gravitas would be a serious commission for any artist.

Hyakutake had taken up oil painting in 1875 while he was in London. Even though he had developed an earnest passion for the art, later also studying painting in Paris, he could still be considered a novice. Nabeshima’s choice to have Hyakutake paint him can be seen as a testament to the mutual trust and respect they held for each other. When Hyakutake painted Nabeshima in 1880, they had known each other for about thirty years. Their shared journey began as boys studying together before evolving into a professional relationship as adults. When Nabeshima ascended to the position of daimyō, Hyakutake served as his assistant, and he remained by his side throughout his life. After the Meiji Restoration, they traveled together to the United States as part of the Iwakura Mission and subsequently spent six years in England. Eventually, they were posted to Rome in 1880 to establish relations between Japan and Italy.

Given their long and close association, this painting perhaps also offers an intimate glimpse into how Hyakutake perceived Nabeshima, capturing the person beyond superficial appearances.