Japanners bij een tempelcomplex in Japan 1863 - 1877

This albumen silver print of a temple complex in Japan was created by Felice Beato. Beato, a Venetian-British photographer, documented East Asia and other regions with a sharp eye for detail and an awareness of the colonial gaze that underscored much of nineteenth-century photography. In this image, Beato captures a group of Japanese workers, or “Japanners”, near a temple, offering us a glimpse into the labor and spiritual life of the period. Notice how Beato frames the workers in relation to the temple. What does it mean to see these figures posed in the foreground, with traditional architecture as a backdrop? It speaks to how identities were being framed and perceived during a time of intense cultural exchange and colonial power dynamics. The photograph invites us to reflect on the complex layers of representation, and the personal stories embedded within broader historical narratives.