Carrying Children c. 1887

Editor: This is "Carrying Children," a hand-colored albumen print by Adolfo Farsari. It's striking how the details of daily life are rendered. What can you tell me about the material context of this piece? Curator: Consider the albumen print itself. It’s a product of specific chemical processes and labor. Farsari, an Italian businessman turned photographer in Japan, catered to a Western market eager for exoticized images. Editor: So, the photograph itself is a commodity? Curator: Precisely. The image of children carrying children speaks to societal structures and labor, while the print's production and consumption reflect colonial dynamics and the commodification of culture. Editor: That gives me a lot to think about in terms of the layers of meaning within a single image. Curator: Indeed. It reveals much about production, consumption, and cultural exchange.