ABOUT THIS COLLECTION  
Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934) was the most famous Japanese photographer of his time, not only for his expertise in adding color to his work but also for his compelling compositions and diverse subject matter. Western fascination with Japanese culture in the late 19th century prompted Kimbei and others to offer souvenir photos for tourists and photo books for Europeans unable to visit. Photography arrived when traditional woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e, were the main form of popular art in Japan. Ukiyo-e’s influence on Kimbei’s work can be seen in the lovely hand-colored work and the subjects, such as women in daily life or performing traditional activities, actors, sumo wrestlers, and landscapes. As the center of tourism at the time, the port city of Yokohama also became the center of these fine hand-colored photographs.
 
COLLECTION DETAILS
Series title: Late 19th-Century Japan
Series size: 16 artworks
Edition: Limited edition of 1000
Proof of Ownership: Certification on the Ethereum blockchain under the ERC1155 protocol. Each artwork is delivered privately and directly to collectors as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that guarantee proof of ownership.
Format: Pieces consist of PNG files sized 2160x3840 pixels - 150 dpi.
Medium: Photography, hand-colored albumen silver print
Contract Address: 0x495f947276749ce646f68ac8c248420045cb7b5e
ID: 2749212597480566...
 
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kusakabe Kimbei worked with the Italian-British photographer Felice Beato (1832-1909) as a photographic colorist and assistant.  After training with Beato, who established the stylistic standards of Yokohama souvenir photography, he opened his own workshop there in 1881. He created a catalog that contained over 2000 souvenir photographs, though not all were shot by him. The vast majority of the photographs in the catalog are views of popular destinations in Japan. But 416 images depict the customs of Japan, often performed by Japanese women. “Decent” women found it improper to be photographed in public. Consequently, Kimbei shot geishas, who did work in public but portrayed them in a conservative, old-fashioned way. He also preferred to photograph traditional fashion, avoiding Western dress and poses. Kimbei produced 60% of the surviving Yokohama photographs, making him the most prolific photographer of the time.
 
COLLECTION CREDITS
Historical curatorship: HARI - Historical Art Research Institute (HARI Editions)
Artwork: Kusakabe Kimbei
Year of original publication: 1880
Post-production: HARI - Historical Art Research Institute (HARI Editions)
Digital art supervisor: Marie-Lou Desmeules
Editorial: Braden Phillips
Historical research: Evangelos Rosios, Braden Phillips
Executive production: Victor Zabrockis
 
RIGHTS OVERVIEW
Source of artwork: The Getty
Underlying work rights: PD Worldwide
Digital copyrights: No Additional Rights