Two hand-coloured photographs from Japan by Raimund von Stillfried, c. 1880

Description

Superb set of two hand-coloured albumen photographs from c. 1880 by Baron Raimund von Stillfried: atmospheric kitchen interior and authentic street scene in Nagasaki.

Origin & meaning: These original prints, typical souvenirs of the Meiji era, are mounted on either side of one sturdy card (38.5 × 31 cm). They show a kitchen interior with three women in traditional kimono and a street scene of 19th-century Nagasaki - perfectly preserved in vivid colours.

Dimensions: Photographs ca. 26 × 21 cm; mounted on card 38.5 × 31 cm.

Photo character: These images are typical souvenirs from the Meiji period, popular with Western visitors; highly iconic for Travel Photography of the time due to hand-colouring and composition. Raimund von Stillfried was among the elite of 19th-century Japan photographers, along with Felice Beato.

Product photographs show the object on offer exactly as photographed. Any interior images are AI-generated impressions, included solely to illustrate scale and presentation.