Rooms c. 1887

Editor: Here we have Adolfo Farsari's "Rooms," a photograph with hand-applied tinting. The composition emphasizes the repeated lines and patterns of the architecture. How do you interpret the material choices in this piece? Curator: Considering Farsari's commercial work for Western tourists, the image highlights the exotic appeal of Japanese architecture as commodity. The hand-tinting process itself transforms a mechanical reproduction into a unique, crafted object, playing into Western desires for the 'authentic' souvenir. What is your take on this tension? Editor: I hadn't considered the souvenir aspect. It's interesting how the artistic process is tied to both cultural exchange and commerce. Curator: Exactly. The photograph becomes a material object imbued with social and economic meanings of its time.