Buddhist Priests. Hand-colored albumen print

Japan, c. 1890s (before 1896).
Image 25.1x19.7 cm.; mount 26.5x21 cm.

Unidentified studio. Without caption or number in the negative, as in all other recorded examples.

Two Buddhist priests in full ceremonial dress, posed in the studio. The elder, at left, wears a brocade kesa (袈裟) over his robes and holds a hossu (払子), a ceremonial fly whisk of white hair, together with a rosary (juzu, 数珠); the younger, in a gold brocade kesa, holds a rosary and a folding fan. Between them stands a small stand draped in cloth, with a copy of the Lotus Sutra (妙法蓮華経) and a hand censer (egōro, 柄香炉).

Finely hand-colored, with the brocade patterns of the kesa picked out in detail. The coloring differs from that of other recorded examples.

Other prints from the same negative are held at Cornell University and the Syracuse University Art Museum.

Binding & condition

Mounted on card (probably a split album leaf). Good: minor rubbing, verso rough from splitting.

References

Takashima Suteta, Illustrations of Japanese Life (Tokyo, K. Ogawa, 1896), in collotype, with the caption "Buddhist priests conspicuous" [Nichibun Early Photographs, GL001006]; F. Brinkley (ed.), Japan: Described and Illustrated by the Japanese, vol. 1 (c. 1897) [Nichibun Early Photographs, GJ009020].