Japan, Tinted

People have been tinting photographs since the beginning of photographs, from touches of colour on the cheeks and lips of a daguerreotype, to splashes on cloth in a carte-de-visite, to intense dyes on commerical hand-tinted postcards. Sometimes the effect is subtle, sometimes garish, sometimes exceptionally beautiful. Today's photographs are the last. 

This set of photographs was taken by Japanese photographer Kusakabe Kimbei in the late nineteenth century. As most of his clients were foreign, and the scenes emphasize traditional activities and costumes, I beleive it is likely that they were produced as views for visitors to Japan to take home, though I'm not certain. The collection to which they belong, the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego, says nothing either way, unfortunately. If I discover more in the future I shall update.

Updated to add: many more tinted Japanese photographs of this time period can be found in the Harvard College Library--thanks to a Twitter follower for sharing this!

All captions are the titles given by the Museum of Photographic History.

Museum of Photographic Arts

A Tete-a-Tete. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

A Family Group. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

A Summer Day in the Woods. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Clothing Shop. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Boys Playing Kotoro. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Farmers Wearing Rain-Coats. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

A Pilgrim. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

A Street of Shops. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Geisha Playing a Flute. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Dancing Girls. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Mother and Child. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Gathering Shells on the Seashore. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Porcelain and Pottery Shops. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Picking Tea. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Feeding Chickens. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Feeding the Chickens [some more]. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Kago Bearers. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Itinerant Candy Seller. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Japanese Actor. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Peony Garden. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Sleeping Accommodations for Two. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Teaching Songs. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Theatrical Performance. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

Tub-maker. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

An Informal Afternoon Tea. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

The Yoshiwara in Tokyo. Source

Museum of Photographic Arts

A Summer Costume. Source