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.
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)
Ceremonial Taisho era photo of a family in formal wear for family members’ fiftieth wedding anniversary (金婚記念, kinkon kinen). This photo comes from an album with 9 photographs. The accordion type album is covered in beautiful green textile stamped with golden characters that read kinkon kinen.
On the first page is a photo of a text written in graceful calligraphy followed by a photograph of an elderly couple, very clearly the couple that is celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. In the following pages are photographs of their children and grandchildren, including this one. Most probably each family shown in the photographs received one of these little albums.
An interesting detail is the subtitle printed below kinkon kinen. It reads Album of Turtle and Crane, expressing the family’s wish for a long life.
A charming window into this family’s celebration of an important event.
Duits, K. (2008, April 21). 1910s Family in Formal Wear, Old Photos of Japan. Retrieved on 2021, Mar 08 from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/162/family-in-formal-wear-02
Hi there ! Just thank you very much to share all of this old photography.