Weg in het bos bij Haruna, Japan before 1903

Kusakabe Kimbei made this albumen print, titled 'Weg in het bos bij Haruna, Japan' sometime in the late 19th century. This Japanese photograph presents us with more than just a serene forest scene; it opens a window onto the complex cultural exchanges of the Meiji era. As Japan opened its doors to the West, photography became a powerful tool for shaping perceptions, both for outsiders looking in and for the Japanese themselves. Consider the composition: the careful framing, the play of light and shadow. It’s not a purely objective record; instead, it’s a constructed image, designed to evoke particular feelings and ideas about Japan's natural beauty. To truly understand this photograph, we have to look at things like trade records and colonial exhibitions to understand the socio-economic context that allowed such an image to be made and disseminated. By consulting these resources, we can begin to understand the dynamics of cultural representation at play.