[Studio Portrait of a Japanese Man in Western Clothing] 1880s

This photograph, taken by Raimund von Stillfried, shows a Japanese man in Western clothing. It’s a remarkable document of cultural exchange, and like all photographs, it is also very much about the material conditions of its making. Think about it: this isn’t just a representation of a person, but also of a specific moment in time, captured through the interplay of light and chemistry on a photosensitive surface. The sepia tones, the slight blurring, the way the light catches on the man's silk bow tie – all these details are as much a product of the photographic process as they are reflections of the subject himself. In order to produce this image, Stillfried would have required a range of materials like glass plates, silver nitrate, and a darkroom. But perhaps most interesting here is the labor, and the skill. There’s the labor of the photographer, certainly. But also, the labor of the sitter, posing in what was probably unfamiliar attire. Photography in this period was a relatively slow process, requiring a significant amount of cooperation between photographer and subject. So, considering this image as a collaboration allows us to understand the complex social dynamics at play here.