This is an image of two junks that was taken in the late 1890’s by the great Japanese photographer T. Enami . It was produced in the period as hand tinted slide to be viewed in the popular stereopticons of the time. The image was forwarded as a black and white photo to the National Geographic magazine in the the 1920’s along with other photos of Japan from Enami. They didn’t use the photo at the time, instead opting for the more traditional images of Japanese farmers and Geishas in a story on the island nation. However, in the 1980’s the magazine took another look at the image and it really struck a chord with them. The artistic beauty of the image was evident to them and they ultimately named this image as one of the best photos from their holdings of over 100 years. It was used on the covers of one of their books and a catalog for a show of their best photography.
I was immediately taken with this photo when I saw it. It’s just such a beautiful composition and the harmony of the color and atmosphere make it sing. I decide I should look at some other images from this T. Enami who was born Enami Nobukuni in Tokyo ( actually Edo at the time) in 1859 and died in 1929. There were many images of Japan from the time, all beautifully captured with a sublime eye. Some were surprising such as this 1905 image of 3 boys scuffling, an image that was sold in a series of slides by Sears.
But for me his images of Mt. Fuji were the highlights. They captured the dramatic presence that the mountain holds and are just incredible compositions, powerful and serene. There are several of my favorites below. T. Enami is probably not as well known here as his work deserves. There is a site, T-Enami.org, devoted to his work that is worth a look if only to take in more of his wonderful work.
Redtree Times 