Images of the last Samurai

[Aymeric Antien]

Richard ...As I am digging under the pyramids to try to find Japanese armor ... .. I have at least found a vintage postcard that proves that the Egyptian sphinx ... speaks Japanese without accent and that the Japanese printmakers were probably very interested in photography.
A. Beato, Ambassadors of the Japanese Diplomatic Mission of 1864 in front of the Sphinx, albumen print, 21.8 x 27.9 cm, 1864, coll. Miyake Tatsuo

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[Richard Jones]

Aymeric,
More wonderful cross-cultural images, can you imagine what the Japanese delegation made of the Sphinx?

Richard

[Piers Dowding]

The second ukiyo-e frame by Issen Yoshikazu notes 沸蘭西, i.e. Chinese characters for 'France', indicating a French couple.

[Aymeric Antien]

Thank you Piers for the info French touch! I think I remember that there were several European photographers in Japan at that time and several French people.
The second Japanese embassy in Europe (Japanese: 第 2 回 遣 欧 使節, also 横 浜 鎖 港 使節 使節 使節 団), also called the Ikeda mission, was sent on December 29, 1863 by the Tokugawa shogunate after the first mission of the previous year The head of the mission was Ikeda Nagaoki, governor of small villages in Ibara, Bitchū Province, Okayama Prefecture. The deputy chief of the mission was Kawazu Sukekuni.

The objective of the mission was to obtain the French agreement for the closure of the port of Yokohama to foreign trade. The mission was sent following the order to expel the barbarians of (1863) (攘夷 実 行 の の 勅命) enacted by Emperor Kōmei and Shimonoseki bombing, with the desire to close the country again to the Western influence and return to the policy of national isolation. The task proved impossible as Yokohama was the center of foreign presence in Japan since the opening of the country by Commodore Perry in 1854.

Richard on the way to France, the mission visited Egypt where members of the mission were photographed posing in front of the Giza Sphinx by Antonio Beato, brother of the famous photographer Felice Beato. The members of the mission were abundantly photographed in Paris by Nadar.
The story does not say if they had an idea behind the head ... like a sphinx that would have had the best effect in the middle of a Japanese garden?
the embassy is over on a failure ..the history of Nagahoki is not great in Japan after his return and the failure of the embassy (from memory)
Richard .. for the little story ... the sphinx is still in its original state with both legs still buried in the sand .. the ambassadors will be very interested in the study of Egypt then British colony and will observe with watch how the English treat the countries they dominate .. the photo was kept by the Tanabe Taichi family.
The son of Nadar Paul and the second European delegation of Japan photo N°2 (in Paris)
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[Aymeric Antien]

Does knowing the true story of the "Last Samurai" entertain you?
Well no, it's not Tom Cruise and he's not the American soldier he's playing in the well-known movie ....It's a little less "glamorous" though ... his name is Jules! not Cesar (Gaius Julius Caesar :12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), known by his cognomen Julius Caesar).. but Brunet (I see you come with French little girl brunettes).. and for once in Japan it's a heroic French soldier.
First years
He is the son of Jean-Michel, veterinarian at the 3rd regiment of dragons, and Laure Rocher. Entered Polytechnic in 1857, he made the School of application of artillery and engineering and joined the 3rd regiment of artillery. He came out brilliantly in 1861 (he is ranked 4th). Brunet began his military career in the Mexican expedition dear to Napoleon III. Upon his return, he receives the Legion of Honor. As a reward for his brilliant military qualities, he was assigned to the Imperial Guard's artillery regiment. In 1864, lieutenant, he entered the regiment of horse artillery of the Imperial Guard. In early November 1866, he was part of the mission sent to Japan under the command of Captain Jules Chanoine and arrived in Yokohama in early January, to educate the army of Shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa.(from wikipedia )
Do you want more ?

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[Aymeric Antien]

In Japan
The shogun has, indeed, measured the delay in the modernization of his country. The Western powers had imposed on Yoshinobu Tokugawa treaties which, like those formerly with China, were considered "unequal" and ended up raising unrest across the country and a wave of xenophobia. The United States of America, the Netherlands and Russia maintain a cautious neutrality. Britain, for its part, secretly helps the "clans of the west", favorable to the new emperor (or Tenno) Meiji who still represents only the religious power; while France, always eager to help Japan to industrialize since the Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Commerce of 1858 and the success of the World Expo of 1867, undertakes, to thwart the British aims , under the impetus of its ambassador Léon Roches, to support the shogun, who has just suffered retaliation from other Westerners after a wave of attacks against their residents and their counters.
photo N°1 : Brunet and his "Japanese team "
Photo N°2 : The military team before leaving for Japan (1866). Jules Brunet (capped officer, sitting to the left of Captain Chanoine who is standing in the center)
Captain Brunet, an affable, communicative and intelligent personality, will quickly grasp the subtleties of Japanese culture and subjugate his artillery students. It is a handsome man who imposes by an elegant stature (1.85 m), he expresses himself well (he has a recognized talent of writer) and he has very developed artistic tastes which do not displease the samurai ( he excels in drawing). A solid fraternity of arms is created between them.
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[Aymeric Antien]

However, in November, given the urgency of the situation, the shogun, no longer thinking of catching up, abandoned his shogunal function in favor of the young Emperor Meiji with the hope of installing a government composed of local lords (the daimyo) ; but this collegial power can not prevent the coup d'état of the "reformist" partisans who, on 3 January 1868, restore the model of the "old monarchy". Yoshinobu Tokugawa is driven to take up arms by his samurai, anxious to lose their prerogatives forever. Begins the war known as the Boshin war, which sees, on January 27, the armies of the shogun dispersed despite their numerical superiority by an imperial force already fully modernized by the competitors. Yoshinobu Tokugawa, after this first defeat, takes refuge in Edo. Pushing back the plan of revenge of Leon Roches, it capitulates on April 27 to Edo which is conquered and withdraws to Mito. France, unhappy, recalls its ambassador, is forced to proclaim its neutrality and the mission Canon which is now undesirable and summoned to leave the territory, withdraws to Yokohama to be repatriated in November.

For his part, Brunet, stamped with an all-military ethic, refuses to return to continue to "serve the French cause in this country" 1, because he feels it his honor not to abandon the shogun and his faithful samurai, brothers in arms whom he had instructed. "[...] I decided that in view of the generous hospitality of the Shogunal government, it was necessary to respond in the same spirit" 2. But Chanoine refuses his resignation and Brunet finds himself in a false situation. The Ministry of War will finally place him on leave of one year without pay on February 6, 1869, implicitly regularizing his situation, but stating that in Japan where he is however allowed to stay, he will now only have the status of 'a simple particular. Brunet has, it seems, benefited from a spirit of solidarity of body. Moreover, Roches continues to plead with the Emperor the cause of the shogun and eight comrade officers Brunet will join him. The imperial forces, in excess, have now, thanks to their heavy artillery, the stranglehold on the island of Honshu. The Shogun's troops, in order to resist better, retrench in Hakodate, on the island of Hokkaido, and on December 25, 1868, founded the short-lived Republic of Ezo, of which Takeaki Enamoto was elected president. Brunet, military adviser of the Ministry of War, organizes the defense and resumes the instruction of the soldiers, until the arrival of the army of the emperor which begins, June 30, the assault of the island on the ground and by sea. The about eight hundred besieged with irremediable inferiority must surrender. Brunet and the French officers are recovered just in time by a warning sent to avoid the reprisals of the victors (torture is customary in the Land of the rising sun).

Officially, France congratulates the Mikado for restoring order in the country but will not accept to return the officer who helped the rebels on the pretext that he is in the hands of an independent military authority. Returned to Paris, Brunet receives a regulatory censure for interference in the political affairs of a foreign country and his ministry removes him from active officers by "suspension of employment". Napoleon III approved this sanction on October 15th. France is making the rumor that Brunet, who has been a council of war, has been dismissed. In reality, Brunet has not been formally disapproved, but he is somehow condemned to absolute discretion. Thus, from February 26, 1870, five months before Japan feels officially satisfied with the punishment, Brunet is the deputy director of the manufacture of weapons of Châtellerault, appointment which was not inserted in the Official Journal. At the same time, he contracts a beautiful marriage that brings him a dowry of one hundred thousand francs and his former superior, Captain Chanoine, is his witness. At no time will his Japanese equipment be blamed on him.

War of 1870
Brunet will still participate in the Franco-German war, captain at the 8th artillery regiment in Metz, where he will be taken prisoner. He is made Officer of the Legion of Honor3. After the fall of the Empire, he is at the service of the legitimate government for the repression of the Paris Commune. Then came an honorable and more tranquil military course: military attache in Austria and Italy, commander of the Legion of Honor, chief of staff, in 1898, of Chanoine, now general and minister of war. Brunet will finish division general.
On March 11, 1895, Japan, which has just emerged from a grueling "modern" war with China, will remember this former "samurai" by elevating him to the rank of grand officer of the sacred treasury of the Mikado.
Jules Brunet died on August 12, 1911 in Fontenay-sous-Bois and was buried in the Père-Lachaise Cemetery (68th Division).
General Jules Brunet, center, kepi in hand (1898).download/file.php?mode=view&id=2500

[Henry Jones]

Somewhat unrelated, but interesting:

Photo of Dog Child, a Blackfoot Indian who served as a Northwest mounted police rider in 1890, posing with his Japanese Sword.

[Aymeric Antien]

Henry .. Yes very interesting .. the story does not say in which occasion this member of the mounted police could have recovered a Katana?
The story of the North American natives is very confusing and has always left me with a very mixed feeling.
I have tried several times to buy photos of Edward S Curtis .. (superb) but on these tests I have not had much luck and often doubts about the authenticity of the boards (reprints? )

[Henry Jones]

Aymeric,

I could not find any info how he acquired the katana, but since the photo date is 1890 during Meiji period, and many ships importing Japanese objects to West coast cities: San Francisco, Portland, Seattle he could have easily purchased it, or traded for it.
Yes, Edward S Curtis portraits are both beautiful and sad. Love his work, Ansel Adams too.