Edoardo Chiossone (1833 - April 11, 1898) was an Italian o-yatoi gaikokujin. He was born in Arenzano, near Genoa, in 1833. In 1847 he enrolled in the Accademia Ligustica, where he specialized in engraving, and graduated in 1855. In 1857 he entered the atelier of Raffaele Granara and made several engravings of famous art works. In 1867 he started working for the Italian National Bank and was sent to the Dondorf-Naumann company in Frankfurt to be trained in the making of paper money. While he was there, the company began making bank notes for the Japanese government, and in 1874 he was sent to London to learn new printing techniques. At this point he was invited to go to Japan, and accepted. 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... April 11 is the 101st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (102nd in leap years). ... 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The o-yatoi gaikokujin or oyatoi gaikokujin (お雇い外国人 — hired foreigners, foreign employees) were foreign specialists, engineers, teachers, mercenaries and more, hired to assist in the modernization of Japan. ... Location within Italy Christopher Columbus monument in Piazza Aquaverde Genoa (Italian Genova, Genoese Zena, French Gênes, German Genua, Spanish Génova, Galician Xénova) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... Skyline of Frankfurt at night is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany. ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the British city. ...

The 10,000 yen banknote with Chiossone's engraving of Fukuzawa Yukichi on it

Many of the portraits by Chiossone have been lost, and others only survive in reproduction, such as the likeness of Fukuzawa Yukichi on the 10,000 yen note; they can all be said to have been faithful likenesses. 10,000 yen note from Japan, with Fukuzawa Yukichis portrait. ... 10,000 yen note from Japan, with Fukuzawa Yukichis portrait. ... Fukuzawa Yukichi, c. ... Fukuzawa Yukichi, c. ...

Chiossone in Japan

Chiossone arrived in Japan on January 12, 1875. The government Printing Bureau (Insatsu Kyoku) which was part of the Finance Ministry (Okurasho) was under the directorship of Tokuno Ryosuke of Satsuma, who was eager to introduce modern machinery and techniques. The practical implementation of this policy was entirely the work of Chiossone, who founded printing companies such as Toppan Insatsu, trained the Japanese in printing techniques, designed official papers and stamps, taught the art of making printing ink and printing paper (with a watermark in it), and taught how to make many copies from one plate. 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Satsuma is the name of a town in Japan, Satsuma, Kagoshima, the surrounding district, Satsuma District, Kagoshima, the former province, Satsuma Province, which is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, a revolt, the Satsuma Rebellion. ...

After five months he was offered a three-year contract with a monthly salary of 450 yen and a house; this was one of the highest salaries paid to a foreigner, and twice that of Antonio Fontanesi who was hired to teach oil painting, and his house was outside the foreign enclave in Tsukiji (he lived first in Kanda and then in Kojimachi, with a retinue of servants). At the end of 1875 he made his first portrait, an engraving of the German physician Philipp Franz von Siebold. He also designed the "koban" stamps which came out in 1876, with a watermark; as there was a taboo against using the emperor's portrait, he had to resort to other images, such as the imperial chrysanthemum. Tsukiji as seen from Shiodome Frozen tuna at Tsukiji Tuna auction at Tsukiji The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, commonly known as the Tsukiji fish market (Japanese: 築地魚市場, Tsukiji uoichiba) is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market, and one of the biggest markets of any kind in the world. ... Festival at Kanda Myojin Kanda (神田) is a district in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. ... National Diet Building, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan Kita 3-1-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Otemon, the Great Gate of Edo Castle (Kokyo) Chiyoda (千代田区; -ku) is a special ward in central Tokyo, Japan. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... statue in Akashicho (near Tsukiji), chuo-ku,Tokyo Japan Philipp Franz Balthasar von Siebold (February 17, 1796 in Würzburg - October 18, 1866 in Munich) was a German physician. ...

Other portraits followed in 1876, those of Okubo Toshimichi, Saigo Tsugumichi (younger brother of Takamori, who was Minister of the Navy and Home Minister), and William Chapman Ralston of the Bank of California. The next year the Emperor Meiji, attended by a hundred persons including Prince Arisugawa and Iwakura Tomomi visited the Printing Bureau and Chiossone's working room (destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake). That year Chiossone also designed the first bank note, a one-yen note with the figure of Daikoku, the god of wealth. The next year he produced the first bank note containing a human figure, the image of the legendary Empress Consort Jingū. 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Ōkubo Toshimichi (大久保 利通 Ōkubo Toshimichi, 10 August 1830 - 14 May 1878), Japanese statesman, a samurai of Satsuma, is one of the five great nobles who led the revolution in 1868 against the shogunate. ... Tsugumichi Saigo (西郷 従道 Saigou Tsugumichi/Juudou) (1 June 1843 - 18 June 1902) was a Japanese politician and general who lived from the Edo to Meiji Era of Japanese history. ... William Billy Chapman Ralston (1826-1875), was a San Francisco, California businessman and financier, and was the founder of the Bank of California. ... The Bank of California was founded in San Francisco, California on July 5, 1864 by William Chapman Ralston. ... Emperor Meiji (Mutsuhito) Emperor Meiji (明治天皇, Meiji Tennō, literally Emperor of Enlightened Rule) (3 November 1852–30 July 1912), also known as Mutsuhito (睦仁), was the 122nd Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. ... Iwakura Tomomi (岩倉 具視 October 26, 1825-July 20, 1883) was a statesman who played an important role in the Meiji restoration, influencing opinions of the Imperial Court. ... Great Kanto Earthquake The Great Kanto Earthquake (関東大震災 Kantō daishinsai) struck the Kanto plain on the Japanese main island of Honshu at 11:58 on the morning of September 1, 1923. ... Daikoku, God of Wealth according to Taoism In Japan, Daikokuten (大黒天) is one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, according to Taoist beliefs. ... Empress Consort JingÅ« of Japan (c. ...

In 1879 he went on a trip around Japan with Tokuno Ryosuke to record ancient art works and monuments; 510 photographs were taken and Chiossone made 200 drawings. Tokuno recorded in his diary, published ten years later, that the two of them had had long conversations. The fruits of this trip were illustrated albums produced between 1880 and 1883.

In 1883 Chiossone was asked to make a portrait of Saigo Takamori, who had already been dead for six years; for this purpose he combined the features of Saigo's younger brother and a cousin of his, and this became the standard portrait and the model for the statue in Ueno Park. Chiossone also made a portrait of Tokuno two months before he died in that year, and designed his tombstone. Saigō Takamoris statue in Ueno park Saigō Takamori (西郷 隆盛 Saigō Takamori, 23 January 1827/28 - 24 September 1877), one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history, lived during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. ... People enjoying cherry blossoms Ueno Park (上野公園 Ueno Kōen) is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan. ...

In 1888 he received his highest recognition, when he was asked to produce a portrait of the Emperor, to be used as the official state portrait. The only existing portrait at that time was a photograph taken ten years before, and the Emperor refused to be photographed again. So the grand chamberlain Tokudaiji Sanemori arranged that Chiossone should sketch the Emperor at the palace from behind a screen. From his sketches he made two faithful likenesses of Meiji, one in military uniform and the other in civilian clothes, and these were then photographed and became the official "photographs" of the Emperor and served as the basis of all the familiar representations of Meiji.

Besides being engaged in painting portraits, which included further portraits of the Empress, the future Emperor Taisho, General Oyama Iwao, Iwakura Tomomi and Sanjo Sanetomi (a court noble active in politics), Chiossone was constantly kept busy at the Printing Bureau, producing plates for notes, stamps and bonds; in 1888 he produced a 5‑yen bank note with the figure of Sugawara Michizane on it, and, as his last work before retiring, a 100‑yen note with Fujiwara Katamari (614‑669) on it. In 1891 he retired with 3,000 yen taishokukin (severance pay) and an annual pension of 1,200 yen. Emperor Taisho (大正天皇 Taishō Tennō) (August 31, 1879 – December 25, 1926), whose given name was Yoshihito (嘉仁), was the 123rd imperial Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, from 1912 until his death in 1926. ... Oyama Iwao (1842 — 1916) was a Japanese field marshal, and one of the leaders who led the Meiji Restoration. ... Iwakura Tomomi (岩倉 具視 October 26, 1825-July 20, 1883) was a statesman who played an important role in the Meiji restoration, influencing opinions of the Imperial Court. ... Prince Sanjo Sanetomi (1837-1891), Imperial court noble, Japanese statesman, was one of the old court nobles of Japan, and figured prominently among the little band of reformers who accomplished the overthrow of feudalism and the restoration of the administration to the Mikado. ... Sugawara no Michizane by Kikuchi Yosai Kanke (also known as Sugawara no Michizane, from Ogura Hyakunin Isshu) Sugawara no Michizane (菅原道真 845 - March 26, 903) was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. ... The Fujiwara clan (藤原氏 Fujiwara-shi) was a clan of regents who had sort of monopoly to the Sekkan positions, Sesshō and Kampaku. ...

Death

On April 11, 1898, Chiossone died of heart failure at his home in Kojimachi, and was buried in Aoyama Cemetery (where his tomb can still be seen in the foreign section). The papers brought out long articles on his death, and the "Japan Weekly Mail" spoke of his high reputation both for his artistic ability and for his friendly nature. National Diet Building, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan Kita 3-1-1, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Otemon, the Great Gate of Edo Castle (Kokyo) Chiyoda (千代田区; -ku) is a special ward in central Tokyo, Japan. ... Aoyama (青山; lit:Blue mountain) is a neighborhood of Tokyo, located in the northeastern Minato Ward. ...

See also

• Foreign cemeteries in Japan

Foreigners cemetery in Hakodate The foreign cemeteries (gaijin bochi) in Japan are chiefly located in Tokyo and at the former treaty ports of Nagasaki, Kobe, Yokohama, and Hakodate. ...

External links

• The Chiossone Museum in Genoa

• Report of an October 1994 Lecture to the Asiatic Society of Japan by Professor Lia Beretta. This was the source of much of the above, and originally it was adapted from "The Asiatic Society of Japan Bulletin No. 9", November 1994.

• Interview about Chiossone - Podcast - Donatella Failla, Director of Museo d’Arte Orientale E. Chiossone talks about Chiossone and his grave in Aoyama Cemetery