Portret van een onbekende Japanse man in traditionele kleding c. 1890 - 1895

Kazumasa Ogawa made this albumen print of an unknown Japanese man sometime in the late 19th century. This period in Japan was marked by rapid modernization and a fascination with documenting traditional customs through the emerging medium of photography. Ogawa, a pioneer of photography in Japan, likely created this image as part of a larger project aimed at preserving and showcasing Japanese culture to both domestic and international audiences. The sitter's elaborate court dress and formal pose reflect the rigid social hierarchy of the time, where clothing and appearance were carefully regulated to signify status and authority. Consider how the rise of photography influenced the traditional arts and crafts, as artists sought to capture and preserve cultural heritage in the face of Western influence. By studying photographic archives and historical texts, we can gain a deeper understanding of how images like this shaped perceptions of Japanese identity during a period of profound social change.