Photography in Japan 1853-1912 - by Terry Bennett (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The must-have classic work on early Japanese photography!

"Writer Bennett crafted this beautiful and educational book from a collection of 350 old and rare images captured by Western photographers. This book offers a glimpse of life in Japan during one of its most dramatic periods in history." --Shutterbug Magazine

"The extensive collection of valuable photographs in this book and its text might be described as a visual record of our native land during that period, a record that has been lost to us since so many early photographs left Japan." --Message announcing Photography in Japan: 1853-1912 as the Winner of the 2007 International Award of the Photographic Society of Japan

This book presents a fascinating visual record of Japan and Japanese culture during its metamorphosis from a feudal society to a modern industrial nation--at a time when the art of photography was still in its infancy. The 350 rare images in this book, most of them published here for the first time, chronicle the introduction of photography in Japan and the history of early Japanese photography. These images are vital in helping us to understand the dramatic changes occurring in Japanese society during this critical period.

Taken between 1853 and 1912 by talented Japanese and foreign photographers, these photographs document the history of photography in Japan in a comprehensive and systematic way, with extensive information about the photographers as well as the people and subjects illustrated. The images, whether sensational or everyday, intimate or panoramic, document a nation on the brink of abandoning its traditional ways and entering the modern age.

Review Quotes

"Writer Bennett crafted this beautiful and educational book from a collection of 350 old and rare images captured by Western photographers. This book offers a glimpse of life in Japan during one of its most dramatic periods in history." --Shutterbug Magazine

"...a true picture of photography in Japan, with all of its warts and formats shown in their ebb and flow during the first 60 years after the country came out of its centuries of sleep, and into the modern world...Readers who have a love for old photography in general, and stereo views specifically, will not be disappointed by this new portrait of old Japan." --Rob Oechsle, Stereo World Magazine

"...if you're looking for a giant book filled with old pictures of Japan, this isn't it. It's more. Photography in Japan: 1853-1912 is a masterwork of Japanese photography...a Ken Burns documentary on paper. This book is as much about the photographers as the photos themselves." --Tofugu.com blog

"Photography in Japan gives quite an in depth and amazing look into both the photography at the time and also the photographers behind the scene. Every time I open the book at a random page, I find something new to think about." --Shibuya 246 blog

"Impressive overview of the history of Japanese photography between 1853 and 1912...Bennett has been collecting and researching the pioneering years of Japanese photography for 25 years...Essential publication for everyone interested in early Japanese photography." --Society for Japanese Arts Newsletter

"Reading Photography in Japan: 1853-1912 is like traveling back in time to the 19th century of Japan, from the late Edo or Bakumatsu period to the end of the Meiji era. (...) The 400 old and rare Japanese photos Bennett has collected in this book -- whether sensational or everyday, intimate or panoramic -- document a nation's rapid transformation from a feudal society to a modern, industrial state." --Shanghai Daily

"The book is a fascinating treasure trove of information and artifacts, which I found surprisingly engaging and entertaining for the reader. The lifestyles and work ethics of the personalities involved make it a very vivid read." --Japan Exposures blog

"The extensive collection of valuable photographs in this book and its text might be described as a visual record of our native land during that period, a record that has been lost to us since so many early photographs left Japan." --Message announcing Photography in Japan: 1853-1912 as the Winner of the 2007 International Award of the Photographic Society of Japan

About the Author

Terry Bennett, a British writer based in London, has been collecting and researching nineteenth-century Asian photography for over forty years. He has lectured on the subject in the United States, China, Japan, Vietnam, and Europe and has written numerous articles. His books include Early Japanese Images (Tuttle, 1996), Japan: Caught in Time with Hugh Cortazzi (1996), Korea: Caught in Time (1997), The Illustrated London News: Complete Record of the Opening and Modernising of Japan, 1853-1899 (2006), Japan and The Graphic: Complete Record of Reported Events 1870-1899 (2012), Japanese Photographs: Collectors' Data Guide (2006), History of Photography in China (3 Volumes, 2009-2013), and Early Photography in Vietnam (2020).