Gezicht op een tuin met een vijver in Japan c. 1895 - 1905

Kōzaburō Tamamura made this photograph of a garden with a pond in Japan. The image invites us into a space of tranquil contemplation, one carefully designed, where nature is meticulously shaped. Tamamura was working during the Meiji era, a time of rapid modernization and Westernization in Japan. Photography itself was a Western import, quickly embraced by Japanese artists who adapted it to their own aesthetic traditions. This photograph is a hand-colored albumen print, a technique that allowed for the introduction of subtle color nuances, enhancing the serene and picturesque qualities of the scene. There is a tension in the image, a dialogue between tradition and modernity. We can read this image as a commentary on identity, on how Japan was negotiating its place in a globalizing world, striving to preserve its cultural heritage while embracing new technologies and ideas.