ARTIST WITH A BRUSH PHOTOGRAPHED BY AN ARTIST WITH A CAMERA -- A Rare Image from Old Japan

ARTIST WITH A BRUSH PHOTOGRAPHED BY AN ARTIST WITH A CAMERA -- A Rare Image from Old Japan
Originally uploaded by Okinawa Soba

My favorite collector and curator of old photographs of Japan, Owinawa Soba, has one of the best collections of vintage photos of Japan that I have seen during my lifetime. Had I gone to certain museums in Japan while I was in Japan for several years in the early 60s, I would have most likely seen thousands more than those in Okinawa Soba's collection, but I did not visit those photo museums. Thus, I can honestly assess Okinawa Soba's collection as the best I have seen in my nearly 70 years of life. It is with this favorite photo of an artist in his tatami-matted space and studio that this gallery is introduced.
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THE BELOW TEXT ACCOMPANIES THE PHOTO IN OWINAWA SOBA'S PHOTOSTREAM and this image is linked to his Flickr Photostream. To visit his fantastic Flickr Photostream, follow this link or click on the image:

ARTIST WITH A BRUSH PHOTOGRAPHED BY AN ARTIST WITH A CAMERA -- A Rare Image from Old Japan
This ca.1915-1928 image by T. ENAMI is only one of a handful of fine views I've seen from the Bakumatsu, Meiji, and Taisho eras showing a seated artist at work in old Japan (Link to another one given at bottom of this caption). Not only do we have a large "canvas" being brought to completion, there is also a blank wall-scroll waiting for an inspired picture (or work of calligraphy), and a finished scroll as well.

The large array of brushes and pigment bowls is also clearly shown. This is a far cry from what a similar Western scene would show --- the artist seated in a chair or standing before a canvas, with his colors spread out for mixing on a hand-held pallet. A similar scene of shallow pigment bowls being used by "colorists" who are busy tinting old Meiji-era photographs can be seen here : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2494892753/

The word "Artist" was a pretty clear term until Photographers came along. Suddenly, an "Artist with a brush" (so to speak) had to contend with "Cameramen" and "Photographers" also calling themselves "Artists". And some of these folks with brush and paint took exception to that. They complained that Photographers with their funny little boxes and (horror of horrors) unnatural black and white "miniatures" --- many of them crooked or blurred --- had no right to fraudulently deceive people by calling their images works of "Art".

Photographer Herbert G. Ponting, who toured Japan for most of five years from 1901 to 1906, took exception with the complaints of the old Painters. He was one of those who did not like to be called a Photographer. He preferred the term "Artist" -- especially as it applied to himself. : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2360328226/

In the end, the dust surrounding the semantics and pride associated with the word "Artist" settled out with an acceptable compromise. Today, we can find many old imprints and engraved card backs with "ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHER" accompanying the name of whoever the illustrious (or long forgotten) cameraman might be.

These days, no one would argue that the camera has produced some of the most soul-stirring images the world has ever seen --- both, still, motion, stereoscopic, and holographic (and even creative combinations of all these!). Much of it can be found right here on flickr. And no one disputes the fact that there are also a lot of uninspired Painters out there who could not paint their way out of a bathtub.

As for the above anonymous "brush image" of a waterfall in the snow (painted a second time by sunbeams onto the small piece of glass inside of Enami's camera), I am as happy with it as I am with photograph itself.

For a related "artist" image see : www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2544461382/

For more on Enami see www.t-enami/services

Uploaded by Okinawa Soba on 31 May 08, 2.22PM