A NEW collection of works by a “forgotten” photographer is giving the world a glimpse into 19th century Japan.
Baron Raimund von Stillfried worked as an artist, solider and diplomat before travelling to Japan in 1871 and documenting daily life through his Yokohama studio.
Considered one of the most important foreign-born photographers to work in the country’s Meiji era, the Austro-Hungarian aristocrat is said to have shaped the world’s view of Japan.
However, little has been written about the pioneer, who was one of the first globally active photographers of his generation.
Now Dr Luke Gartlan of St Andrews University has compiled the first comprehensive study of Stillfried.
The book uses new primary sources and unpublished documents from archives around the world to examine his significance as a “cultural mediator” between Japan and Central Europe.
Gartlan said: “Baron Raimund von Stillfried played a key role in the international image of Japan and the adoption of photography within Japanese society itself.
“Yet, the lack of a thorough study of his activities, travels, and work has been a fundamental gap in both Japanese and Western-language scholarship.”
Stillfried, who also worked in Dalmatia, Bosnia, and Greece, remained in Japan until the late 1880s, training local photographers during his stay in the country.
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