Street Refreshment Stalls c. 1865

Felice Beato created "Street Refreshment Stalls," a photograph that provides a glimpse into 19th-century Japan, a period marked by the opening of its ports to the world. Beato, a Western photographer, captured this image when Japan was undergoing rapid modernization, and negotiating its relationship with the West. This photograph shows vendors and customers at a humble street stall. The presence of women and children suggests the communal nature of these spaces. A man carrying a heavy load represents the working class, whose labor underpinned the economy of the time. Beato’s photographs, while celebrated, were often staged, offering a romanticized view of Japanese life tailored for Western consumption. This highlights the complex dynamics of representation, where the photographer's perspective is influenced by their cultural background and the expectations of their audience. “Street Refreshment Stalls” invites us to consider the layers of cultural exchange and representation inherent in photography, and its impact on shaping perceptions of identity and place.