Unfamiliar appearances often evoke a sense of exoticism, a perception that is mutual between different societies. From a Japanese perspective, converting to Christianity was an early step in adapting to Western society. This portrait shows the first Japanese Jesuit Christian who adopted the appearance of a Western nobleman, complete with a distinctive large white ruffled collar!
Itō Mancio was a young Japanese samurai who led the first official Japanese diplomatic mission (Tenshō Mission, 1582) to Europe and the Pope.