Battle of Lepanto and Map of the World

Series: International philatelic exhibition «PHILANIPPON'01». Paintings from Momoyama Era

Lesotho, 2001, 2 M. 13 (3/4). multicoloured

Catalogues:
Michel: 1747
Scott: 1273
Stanley Gibbons: 1825
Yvert et Tellier: 1695

As the number of Christians in Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries grew, so did demand for religous paintings from Europe. Because supply far outstripped demand, it became apparent that native artists would have to be trained. Many times the artists were simply shown how to copy the European paintings directly, but in this screen, commonly thought to be a depiction of the Battle of Lepanto, no pictorial prototype appears to have been available. The composition is actually made up of an arbitrary pastiche of themes copied form various sources. The contending forces are the Turks, to the right, and the Christian battalions, tightly grouped to the left, with their logistical advantage, matchlock guns, clearly depicted.

Plots: The Battle of Lepanto