Portret van een Japanse vrouw 1860 - 1885

This hand-colored albumen print of a Japanese woman was produced by Raimund von Stillfried, a photographer active in Japan during the late 19th century. It's a fascinating example of how photography was used to construct and market images of Japan to a Western audience. Consider the setting: the Meiji era. Japan had just opened its doors to the West after centuries of isolation. Von Stillfried, along with other foreign photographers, capitalized on the exotic appeal of Japanese culture, creating portraits that catered to Western tastes for the picturesque. What’s more, these images often reinforced existing stereotypes and power dynamics. To understand this photograph, we need to delve into the archives. By studying the photographer's studio practices, the distribution networks for these images, and the writings of Western travelers, we can begin to unpack the complex social and cultural forces that shaped its creation and reception. Art history, in this way, becomes a powerful tool for understanding the past.