Laan met aan weerszijden lantaarns in Uenopark in Tokyo, Japan before 1897

This photograph of Ueno Park in Tokyo was captured by Kazumasa Ogawa, a pioneer of photography in Japan. He printed it using a collotype, a printing process that yields rich tonal depth and fine detail. Notice how the image emphasizes the serried ranks of lanterns, made from carved stone. These objects were not just functional but deeply symbolic, and their production would have relied on skilled stone carvers. The lanterns stand as a testament to the labor and artistry embedded in traditional Japanese crafts. Ogawa's choice of the collotype printing method also speaks to a blend of tradition and modernity. While photography was a relatively new technology at the time, the collotype process required a mastery of craft to achieve its distinctive effects. Ogawa, therefore, creates an image that reflects the intersection of art, craft, and the changing social landscape of Meiji-era Japan, inviting us to consider the value of these intersections.