Adolfo Farsari – The Man Who Shot Old Japan
In the 1880s at a time when most Europeans were denied access to the Japanese interior an Italian photographer managed to capture many images of Old Japan. These were then beautifully and realistically hand painted and serve as a remarkable record of a world long since disappeared.
If these young men were twentyyears old when this photo was taken in then they would each now be one hundred and forty four years old (were they still alive). Although the majority of Farsari’s pictures of people are posed, they give us a valuable insight in to the costumes and manners of late Victorian era Japan. This is purely to give occidental readers a timeline. In Japan this period was known as the Meiji Restoration which began in 1868. Farsari photographed the end of the 250 plus year old Tokugawa Era. Based in Yokohama, Farsari had had a rather convoluted journey to end up where he did. He began his career as a military man and served for a while in the Union Army in the American Civil War. Perhaps this image of Japanese warriors reflected his interest in the military but they are certainly resplendent in their heavy looking armor. It would be for his portraits that he would be particularly remembered, but his landscapes too are quite remarkable, capturing as they do a world now lost to us.
Farsari was very much a commercial photographer and his compositions were designed to be sold mostly to foreign visitors to Japan. His landscapes often picture what we might call a slightly enhanced version – even romanticized – of Japan but were very highly regarded at the time. Something of a libertarian, Farsari had joined the American Civil War as he was a fervent abolitionist and his photographs reflect his ideas of equality – women are portrayed as often as men and not in subservient positions. For many people who had never been to Japan his images would shape their ideas of the country – and to some degree they would also contribute to the ways in which the Japanese regarded themselves.
It is a strange thought, looking at the modern looking faces of these Japanese women to take in the fact that they have all been dead for the greater part of a century at least – the photograph still seems incredibly new and fresh somehow. Although Farsari had arrived in Japan in the 1870s and had traded photographs (among many other things) it was not until the 1880s that he taught himself photography, seeing it as a lucrative living for reasons we will outline later. In 1885 he went in to partnership with Tamamura Kozaburo. Together they acquired an already existing studio, the Japan Photographic Association. Within a few years the two had fallen out and were in competition with each other. Not for long.
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60 Comments
huhuhu, posted this comment on Feb 19th, 2010
It’s so interesting photos!
I’m Japanese. But,I’ve never seen those photos which are taken in those age.
Wonderful!
I’m so interested in a photo of Umbrella Worker. I like this : )
….But I don’t think those women are cute…..
I have known 19C my country’s people life from these photos.
????, posted this comment on Feb 20th, 2010
???????????????????????????????????????????????
DKqwerty, posted this comment on Feb 21st, 2010
There is nothing beautiful or realistic about hand-painted prints. That said, this is a very nice post.
Wally Sparks, posted this comment on Feb 22nd, 2010
Thank you for posting these. I really enjoyed looking at photographs and learning the history behind them.
Carol Rachel Shore, posted this comment on Feb 22nd, 2010
Lynchy.
Eldridge, posted this comment on Feb 24th, 2010
Awesome article. It is interesting, because I’m taking a Japanese film class. I can tell that there’s somewhere between the line between old Japan and new Japan. Films are really interesting transition…
r.martinez, posted this comment on Feb 24th, 2010
Beautiful photos and a very interesting story. I do have two questions, though: The author comments that Mr. Farsari transposed photography. What would that mean? And he mentions that Farsari came to Japan in the 1870s but that “it was not until the 1860s that he taught himself photography.” Is this an error?
TheDodgyLodger, posted this comment on Feb 26th, 2010
Rugs and furniture are occidental, people are Western 
Mr Ghaz, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Great post!..loved this article. .very interesting and well presented piece. Nicely done! Thanks for sharing. 
pengirl M Burdick, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Thank you for this article, RJ. I may have seen some of these images before, but never realized whose work they were. They are exquisite.
sambhafusia, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Great share!! interesting and well expressed…
bailieman, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
A wonderful article on a world long gone.
B Nelson, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
lucky for the rest of the world that he got these pictures. painted photos always look so eerie. if there is one invention that has shared so much it is the camera.. and thanks to photographers as this we can see into the past.
Bren Parks, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
This one is a real gem! Well done and very good subject!
willyonline, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Nice to see you on Triond. I just started my way to Triond. I hope it will be a great experience to see others writings also
Pigazzo, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
A good article and beautifull photo.
LewSethics, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
RJ you are quickly becoming one of my favorites
talkeilani, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
how many view on this?
Anj M, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Awesome RJ
srjac0902, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
The content and the pictures are awesome and rich information. This blog has its own beauty.
Melody Arcamo Lagrimas, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Such a skilled photographer. Great photos.
overwings, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Great real story and beautiful photos. I discovered something new.
Spurgis Lt, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Borat will love it!
subhashlaxmin, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Great article with nice collections
Lord Demon13, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Well done! I love these images! I didn’t even know what they were until you’ve explained to me! Thanks for the information!!!
willyonline, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Yes, you write good one….!!!
Cygne Akrou, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Incredible article! I’m studying Japanese language right now, and is always very nice to learn somethings about the culture and history.
Remimi, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Great work there, quite remarkable
firza5039, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
great article. thank you.
singming12, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
wow i love japan
Ruby Hawk, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
We can be thankful that Farsari was on the scene, otherwise we wouldn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’t have the view of old Japan we now have because of him. Interesting article and beautiful pictures.
apagung, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
very nice picture and good share
ryanfo, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
thank
zizuumetro, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
tyvm 
sureshkumaras, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
nice
C Jordan, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Totally fascinating RJ. A good sibling to your article: The Incredible Century-old Photography of Prokudin-Gorsky
carla349, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
good article 
R J Evans, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
r.martinez – well spotted. I wish I could say it was down to anything other than an unforgivable typo!
R J Evans, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
As for transpose – to alter in form or nature; transform. In other words, Farsari’s work, originally in photographic form would become textiles, fabric, china and so on….
Author
ranoryap, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Magnificient! thanks for introducing this man to us.>>>
dnarayana18, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
At that time photography was uncommon and in todays world if you see ancient old rare pictures are like Gold.
pearl2010, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Well choosen article.Pictures are fasciniting too.
nguyenjun, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Amazing image !
fishfry aka Elizabeth Figueroa, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Very well said, I enjoyed this whole heartly.
Yusuf2554, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Nice Article and good quailty pictures. Interesting!
zamovant, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
very well done
if you want any articles on child matters go have a look
Under zamovant
RS Wing, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Awesome article profiling the wonderous photography of a true artist. The photographs are exquisite and capture an essence that moves the viewer wanting more. Well written and all around great article.
EmilyLambert, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
I love the article and the images were amazing! Great work! You deserved to be listed in Hot Content!
ronthoughts, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
I salute! thumbs-up! Mr. Ghaz is absolutely right about you.
An amazing article! I wish I could do like you and Mr.Ghaz.
Best wishes!
Snooky, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
BEAUTIFUL and inspiring
JubJubGreenDino, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
awesome
Kaligantsaros, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Great article and very educative . The first photo was superb.
Kal
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tutuffi, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Nice Article and good quailty pictures. Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
TheOnlyTrueWriter, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
Excellent article! You really must have spent a lot of time with that one
Thanks for sharing!
Literatour, posted this comment on Mar 15th, 2010
very good topic.
SharifaMcFarlane, posted this comment on Mar 20th, 2010
I’ve learnt a lot about about him and his work. Thank you.
john, posted this comment on Jun 14th, 2010
i own a original with a lady being transported. It is in excellant condition if anyone can offer help on determining value email me at johnhooper1701@gmail.com
Dave Hall, posted this comment on Feb 19th, 2010
Marvelous photos and a rare and valuable look at 19th century Japan.
However, Victorian, they are not. Japan was not all that influenced by the life, times and society of Queen Victoria. That was a western social trend.
Japan had its own 19th century society. It is usually referred to as the Meiji Restoration which began in 1868. What he photographed was actually the end of the 250 plus year old Tokugawa Era.