Florist 1870s

This hand-colored albumen print, "Florist," was made by Suzuki Shin'ichi sometime in the late 19th century. As a photographic process, albumen printing involved coating paper with a layer of egg white and silver nitrate. The print's warm sepia tones and soft, diffused light are characteristic of this technique. Yet, it's the hand-coloring that truly brings this image to life. Notice the delicate blush on the woman's cheeks, the intricate patterns of the kimonos, and the vibrant greens of the potted plants. This suggests not only the labor of photography, but also the artistry of the colorist, who carefully applied pigments to enhance the image. In the Meiji era, photography studios emerged as a new industry catering to both domestic and foreign markets. Images like this were often produced for sale as souvenirs or ethnographic documents, reflecting a growing interest in Japanese culture and commerce with the outside world. These were commodities, crafted with care for consumption.