Illustrative Perspective

Japanese artists, like the Americans, also gave free rein to their imaginations by depicting the steam-driven black warships—almost literally—as Darkness Incarnate.

Facing “West” - Foreign Intruders

On July 8, 1853, four foreign warships arrived at Japan’s shores under a cloud of black smoke. Commodore Perry had arrived to force the long-secluded country of Japan to open its doors to the outside world.

On the left is an image of Commodore Perry’s ship, painted by the Japanese. Think about how the Japanese viewed his “visit”?

Below are some annotations for the illustration.

After viewing the images and reading the annotations, illustrate by hand or on the computer how Commander Perry would have viewed Japan from the ship. Choose 3 sections of your drawing and write an annotation for each.