Rare Photos from the Meiji Period Available for Free
Visitors to the New York Public Library website can now find over one hundred photos dating from the Meiji period (1867-1912). This era saw a movement from the feudal system towards a more industrial one. Because of this, these photos have great historic value.
It’s a real step back in time: the viewer discovers the first key moments captured of Japan becoming westernised. The first cameras didn’t arrive in Japan until later, so these precious moments were photographed by tourists.
These colour photos are reminiscent of Japanese prints. Sumo wrestling, Geisha drinking tea, temples: these images reveal a historic, beautiful picture of Japan.
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The Tattoos that Marked the Criminals of the Edo Period
Traditional tattoos were strong signifiers; murderers had head tattoos, while theft might result in an arm tattoo.
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The Tradition of the Black Eggs of Mount Hakone
In the volcanic valley of Owakudani, curious looking black eggs with beneficial properties are cooked in the sulphurous waters.
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Hiroshi Nagai's Sun-Drenched Pop Paintings, an Ode to California
Through his colourful pieces, the painter transports viewers to the west coast of America as it was in the 1950s.
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The Sensuality Between a Woman and an Octopus: a Modern Take
The series 'Hysteric Ten' by photographer Sawatari Hajime revisits one of the most sulphurous relationships in Japanese art.
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Toulouse-Lautrec and His Japanese Influences
Inspired by his Japanese counterparts, the painter reinvented form and technique within his art and is indebted to printmaking techniques.
