Geisha: A Photographic History, 1872-1912
Hand-tinted images of geishas, courtesans and other 19th-century  Japanese entertainers illustrate not only their history and culture, but also  the development of commercial photography in this intriguing compilation  assembled by [father-and-daughter] curators and collectors Stanley and Elizabeth  Burns. Made by Japanese photographers for tourists who flooded the country  after it opened to foreigners, these slightly faded images show geishas  performing grooming, bathing and mealtime rituals on studio sets that conjure  the luxurious interiors of feudal Japan. Printed in sepia tones and delicately  washed in pastel colors, some were made by artists, who labored for hours on a  single frame. An essay on the social history of the geisha analyzes the nuances  of the clothing, postures and settings of these women, who were recognized in  their own culture as artists, quite distinct from the prostitutes and  courtesans sometimes accompanying the geishas' clients. Three essays and  captions detailing Japanese history represent the key to understanding the  symbolism in every image. But even as the authors seek to demystify the geisha  and Japanese culture, the serene, tender and sometimes cryptic masks of the  geishas retain an inexplicable allure.(Jan.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.