The Rediscovered Portrait of Itō Mancio (1585) by Domenico Tintoretto: A Non-Invasive Investigation into the First Japanese Ambassador in Europe

The portrait of Itō Mancio (1585) by Domenico Tintoretto depicts the leader of the first Japanese embassy sent to Europe between 1582 and 1590. Rediscovered in 2008 within the Trivulzio family collection in Milan, Italy, after centuries of changing ownership, the easel painting was commissioned by the Venetian Senate to Jacopo Tintoretto and his workshop following the embassy‘s stay in Venice. Prior to its display in the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, the painting was investigated to characterize its materials, techniques, and possible compositional changes or pentimenti. A fully non-invasive analytical protocol combined multiband imaging (MBI), hyperspectral imaging (HSI), portable optical microscopy (OM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, and fiber optics reflectance spectroscopy (FORS). The results were interpreted in light of the painting’s complex history and compared with the well-documented working practice of Jacopo Tintoretto’s workshop. Beyond its exceptional historical significance, the portrait provides valuable evidence of late 16th-century Venetian artistic practice. This study demonstrates how the integration of historical research and non-invasive scientific analysis can deepen our understanding of both artworks and their broader historical and cultural contexts, highlighting the essential role of multidisciplinary approaches in cultural heritage research.