Two 19th Century Japanese Souvenir Travel Albums At The Art Gallery Of Ontario

This paper analyzes two nineteenth-century Japanese souvenir travel albums from the Art Gallery of Ontario's collection of photography. The project includes: a literature survey discussing sources and researchers of early photography in Japan; contextual research on the introduction of photographic technology in nineteenth-century Japan and the influence that traditional woodblock prints may have had on the genre of commercial souvenir photographs of Japan; and a detailed description of both album with a potential attribution. Furthermore, the applied component of the project, which entailed documentation of both albums in the form of a catalogue of their 100 tinted albumen prints, is included as an appendix. The paper also provides recommendations for the optimal storage and preservation of both albums, as well as a housing solution. The cataloguing and housing of the two albums will enhance accessibility and facilitate future research of these albums.