Japan

Tonosawa seen from the vicinity of the present Chitose Bridge. The mountain is Mt. Yusaka with the Haya River flowing through it. Both of these are mentioned in a thirteenth century travelogue, 'Izayoi Nikki'.
Kusakabe was the great Japanese commercial photographer of the nineteenth century. There is a direct relationship between the work of Beato, Stillfried and Kusakabe which is the culmination of a cross-cultural view of Japan during the period. It is probable that Kusakabe began as Stillfried's operator, eventually buying his stock when the latter departed from Japan in the mid 1880's. He operated his own firm until 1912, when he disappeared from view. Kusakabe's speciality was his penetrating studio portraits of the Japanese sitter.

Hand-coloured albumen print. 26.6 x 20.5cm. Good rich tones with beautiful colour.