Japanese Man with Tattoo by Kimbei sla following the documentary conventions of

following the documentary conventions of natural history science

The composition draws on modern graphic design traditions — flat planes

then losing it

while the architectural geometry of the shrine anchors an otherwise atmospheric landscape

Japanese Man with Tattoo by Kimbei sla following the documentary conventions ofThis hand coloured albumen print by Kusakabe Kimbei documents a tattooed man in the Meiji period with the careful attention to detail that defined the best Yokohama photography studios. The subject is photographed close and frontally, his full body tattooing filling the frame a deliberate choice that treats the tattoo as the primary subject, as much artwork as the photograph itself. Kimbei's hand colouring adds warmth and depth to the image, softening