Nagasaki-e Russian parade

Artist: Unknown
Title: Russian parade
Date: ca. 1859

Parade of Russians in Japan. The title is: "roshia-jin jouriku / gyouretsu ongaku no zu". The meaning is something like "Picture of musical parade of Russians who have landed [in Japan]", or "Russians landing, Parade music picture", to be more literal. The characters in the middle called out in the rectangular box read "seishi Kanaaruabetteya", probably meaning "official representative Kanaaruabetteya (=some Russian name)". The above Waseda University site states that the publisher, artist and date of publication are all unknown. However in the "Notes", it reads 6 , meaning Ansei 6 [=1859], Russian envoy Muravyov, likely referring to Nikolay Muravyov-Amursky, Russian statesman and diplomat (1809-1881) who helped expand Russian Empire territory to the shores of the Sea of Japan. < en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolay_Muravyov-Amursky>. Notes from the translator: I also am having trouble finding any Russian name corresponding to the above "Kanaaruabetteya", given as the name of the official delegate, but then, the complex phonetics of Russian would hardly be easily reproducible in Japanese syllables, so difficult to search for that.  I also don't see the era name "Ansei" anywhere, but it might be there someplace in a cursive writing I cannot decipher.  I see "6th month" for when the landing in Japan occurred, but that is about it. The beginning seems to start out by introducing Russia as being a huge country between Asia and Europe occupying 1/3 of the world, but that is partly guesswork. The Russians are bearing a flag, a piece of coral, an umbrella and a chair.

Condition: Good impression and condition.
Literature: Not in Mody.
Signature: unsigned

SKU: NGS011