Newsman
1870s
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative with applied color
Dimensions
25.3 x 20.1 cm (9 15/16 x 7 15/16 in.)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Museum Purchase, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.505.1 (12b)
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Newsman" is a striking portrait from the1870s by Japanese photographer Suzuki Shin'ichi. Created as an albumen silver print from a glass negative and enhanced with applied color, the work measures just under 10 by 8 inches. The image presents a man holding flags, evoking themes of communication and public announcement during a transformative period in Japanese history. This medium was widely used in the nineteenth century for its rich detail and warm tonal qualities. Hand-coloring, a technique often employed by Japanese photographers of the era, adds vibrancy and realism, bridging traditiona...
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...