Drie meisjes in kimono's before 1898

Editor: This is a really charming image titled "Drie meisjes in kimono's", which translates to "Three Girls in Kimonos." It's a photograph by Byrne & Co., created sometime before 1898. The three figures are lovely, and their placement appears meticulously arranged, especially when one considers how "naturalistic" portraits were often preferred. I'm interested, what catches your eye here? Curator: What a darling find! Well, besides the sweetness radiating from it, my mind prances to Japonisme. Observe the embracing of Japanese aesthetics—kimonos, yes, but see how they're positioned! The photographer wasn't merely documenting; they were playing with the late 19th-century European fascination with Japan. Don’t you see it's a photograph imitating a Ukiyo-e print? The backdrop feels intentionally flat. The light lacks Western chiaroscuro. I am curious if these lovely performers knew what they were a part of? Editor: Ukiyo-e prints! I see that influence now that you point it out! But it also feels a little...staged. Was this common then? Curator: Absolutely. It was very common to pose for photographs. A bit ironic, isn’t it? The art form promising to capture “reality” became a stage. These little kimono-clad players may very well be taking on imagined identities! And while we're here, it is clear to me, if it wasn't obvious, that the figures are of Western, rather than Asian descent. I wager this portrait touches something deep. The performance, and inherent costuming, can mirror one's personal truth or self-perception. What I see is the artist revealing a longing, a curiosity for the East. They make something completely fresh out of those interests! Editor: I didn’t really see all that at first glance! But I find it interesting that it might speak about a longing for a culture different from their own! Curator: Precisely! That cultural exchange is how artistic styles evolve and how new modes of thought grow! And what did you take away from our encounter? Editor: How seemingly straightforward images can hold a complex dialogue about culture, identity, and artistic influence. And to think, I was only thinking about the pretty outfits!