Photography album 19th-20th century

Editor: This is an intriguing photograph from the 19th or early 20th century. It's titled "Photography album" and attributed to an anonymous artist, a gelatin-silver print. It's of two young women in what appear to be kimonos. There's a formal quality to the arrangement...it feels posed, almost like a tableau. How should we interpret this? Curator: It’s interesting you say “tableau.” Considering this photograph's period, and knowing these were produced as collectibles, not documentary photography in the modern sense, this "posed" feeling tells us something significant about the marketing and consumption of Japanese culture abroad at that time. Editor: So it’s less about accurately portraying Japanese life and more about...projecting an image for Western audiences? Curator: Exactly. Think about the context. Japan had only recently opened to the West. Photography like this helped shape Western perceptions and expectations. The exoticism was deliberately crafted, playing into romanticized ideas, reinforcing particular views about Japan as picturesque and mysterious. It’s fascinating to consider which elements are emphasized and which are downplayed. Does this "tableau" show realities, or commercial constructions? Editor: I never would have thought about it like that. I was so focused on the surface that I completely missed the cultural and marketing dynamics underneath. It sounds as if photography played a pretty critical role in creating an image. Curator: Precisely. Photography allowed for the mass dissemination of imagery, shaping public opinion in powerful ways. What do we gain if we consider it as a type of soft power? How did art influence societal structures? Editor: I am viewing the photo in a different way now and that perspective gives this piece new importance. Thanks for your insights!