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From the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century, Japan was a vital world center for postcard art. More than just casual mail pieces, these postcards were often designed by prominent artists and had a visual impact that belied their modest format.
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MeijiShowa
License all the photos on this site at our boutique photo agency for vintage photographs, illustrations and maps of Japan between the 1860s and 1930s (Meiji, Taisho, early Showa)
Good Book Tip:
The Adventure of Japanese Photography 1860 - 1890
In 22 pages of text, Claudia Delank, a specialist in East Asian Art, covers the photography of 19th century Japan. Celebrated photographers like Felice Beato, Adolpho Farsari, Hikoma Ueno, Kimbei Kusakabe, Kihei Tamamura and Kazumasa Ogawa are introduced as they create images of Japan for a Western audience eager to find out more about this as yet largely unknown country.
Many of these images were specifically staged in studios to please Western expectations. They were then hand-colored and compiled in richly ornamented lacquer albums. This books features 90 full page footnoted plates of hand colored albumen photographs from the March Collection. In many cases the photographer is mentioned as well. What makes this book especially attractive are the rare albumen photographs of flowers.
It is a true delight to see these beautiful images from a time when traveling to Japan was still a real adventure.
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OldPhotosJapan.com — a photo blog about old Japan that reads like a book and works like an archive. All the photographs are from the Kjeld Duits Collection and available for licensing at MeijiShowa.com. Use when you need historical photos, maps or illustrations of Japan for your newspaper article, book, documentary, advertising or other project. For questions, contact us.