Asian Art: Meiji Era Photographs

The influx of Westerners to Japan at the turn of the century brought the rise of the Japanese photo industry. Originally created as souvenirs for foreign travelers, these photographs soon came to act as a prepackaged guide, helping set the tourist’s itinerary. They reveal an astounding virtuosity, in both composition and the technique of color retouching, which brought these views of daily life, bustling cityscapes, and theatrical performances to a new level of vividness.