[Young Japanese Woman]

Art Historical Context

This striking portrait, titled *Young Japanese Woman*, was created by photographer Suzuki Shin'ichi in the 1870s using an albumen silver print from a glass negative, with delicate color applied by hand. Measuring approximately 25 by 20 centimeters, the work exemplifies the refined photographic techniques that emerged in Japan during the early Meiji period, when Western photographic processes were enthusiastically adopted and adapted by local artists. The image captures a young woman in traditional attire, presented with a poised elegance typical of studio portraits intended for both domestic and international audiences. Hand-coloring on albumen prints allowed photographers like Suzuki to enhance realism while evoking the aesthetic sensibilities of ukiyo-e prints, bridging old and new visual traditions. Such works played a key role in shaping global perceptions of Japanese culture during a time of rapid modernization and increased exchange with the West. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Gilman Collection in 2005, this photograph highlights the artistic and cultural significance of early Japanese photography as both documentation and fine art.

About the Artist

Suzuki Shin'ichi · 1835–1919

Suzuki Shin'ichi (1835–1919) was a Japanese photographer who worked during a period of extraordinary transformation in both Japanese society and the history of the photographic medium. Active during the Meiji era, when Japan was engaged in a sweeping process of modernization and opening to the world, Suzuki belonged to the generation of early Japanese photographers who helped define what photograp...