The oldest discovered photographs of the Japanese are of the people that were on board the Eirikimaru and rescued by an American merchant ship. The oldest photographs taken in Japan were by Eliphalet Brown Jr., the official photographer for Commodore Perry's expedition, and of these photos, the ones that are in Japan are designated as Important Cultural Properties. Photographs from the end of the Edo period and Meiji era belonging to museums in the Kanto Region will be on display in this exhibition.
The exhibition comprises three sections: "Encounter," "Learning" and "Spreading". When the Japanese encountered photography, it was first studied by the leading daimyos and scientists of the Meiji enlightenment, and then spread by professional photographers. Over 300 works including photographs of famous people such as the 15th shogunate Tokugawa Yoshinobu, Isami Kondo, Yukichi Fukuzawa will be on display.
Commemorative Lectures
"Introduction to the history of photography from the end of the shogunate to Meiji era"
Date & Time: July 29th (Sun), 14:30-15:30
Lecturer: Norihide Takahashi (Nihon University College of Art professor)
"Photographs 'Before Dawn' - Are they images or objects?"
Date & Time: August 19th (Sun), 14:30-15:30
Lecturer: Keishi Mitsui (Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography researcher)
-130 people capacity on a first come first serve basis, Free.
Workshop: "Classic Technique / Albumen Print workshop"
Date: August 4th, 5th (10:30-16:30)
Lecturer: Keishi Mitsui
-For High School Students and Older
-Fee undecided
-Capacity 20 participants each session, reservations start July 3rd
[Image: Eliphalet Brown Junior "Mitsuyoshi Tanaka portrait" 1854, entrusted by the Collection of Important Cultural Properties Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography]
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