Item #CL185-22 Collage Of Babies: One Thousand And Seven Hundred Children That In Three Years Came To My Shop. Esaki Reiji, Japanese.
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Collage Of Babies: One Thousand And Seven Hundred Children That In Three Years Came To My Shop

c1893. Composite albumen paper photograph, 26.3 x 18.6cm. Creases overall, slight discolouration to edges of image, minor tears to lower edge.

Comes with postcard of the same image, published by M. Sternberg, Hongkong [sic], titled “A lot of Chinese babies.” Held in SFMOMA with uncropped left edge.

A student of Renjo Shimooka in 1871, Reiji opened a photography studio in Tokyo the same year, and moved to Asakusa the following year to become one of Tokyo’s top portrait studios during the late 19th century. He was the first Japanese photographer to use dry plate negatives which he imported in 1883. His well-known images include a torpedo explosion in the Sumida River in 1883, fireworks in 1889, and the photo collage of 1,700 babies (illustrated in this list) created in 1893. He was also a politician and served on the Tokyo City Council. Ref: Philbert Ono (PhotoGuide Japan).

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Item #CL185-22

Price (AUD): $1,650.00  other currencies

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