Gezicht op de watervallen van Hakone, Japan before 1893

Kazumasa Ogawa made this photograph of the waterfalls of Hakone, Japan, using the collotype process. As Japan opened up to the West during the Meiji era, images of its landscape became highly sought after as exotic souvenirs. Ogawa was at the forefront of this new industry, mastering photographic techniques and printing processes to meet the growing demand. His work provides insight into the cultural exchange happening at the time. The photograph itself creates meaning through its composition, capturing the natural beauty of Japan in a way that would appeal to Western tastes. Consider also the institutional context. Ogawa founded his own printing company and publishing house, playing a crucial role in the development of photography as both an art form and a commercial enterprise in Japan. To understand Ogawa's work more fully, researchers can delve into historical archives and study the development of photography as a global phenomenon. Art is contingent on the social and institutional contexts in which it is created.