Baron Raimund von Stillfried Facts for Kids

Baron Raimund von Stillfried, a famous photographer in Japan.

Baron Raimund von Stillfried (born August 6, 1839, died August 12, 1911) was an Austrian military officer. He later became a very important photographer in Japan. His historical photographs from the 1870s show Japan after a big change, the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. These pictures are valued today for showing history and for their artistic beauty. Many international archives collect his work.

Life and Photography
Selected works
See also

Life and Photography

Early Life and Travels

Raimund von Stillfried was born into a noble family. His father was Baron August Wilhelm Stillfried von Rathenitz. His mother was Countess Maria Anna Johanna Theresia Walburge Clam-Martinitz.

During his time at the Imperial Marine Academy, he also learned how to paint. After leaving the military, Stillfried traveled a lot. He visited South America and China before arriving in Yokohama, Japan, in 1864.

Starting a Photography Business

In 1871, Stillfried opened his own photography studio. It was called Stillfried & Co. This studio operated for about four years. In 1875, he teamed up with Hermann Andersen. Their new studio was named Stillfried & Andersen. It was also known as the Japan Photographic Association. This partnership lasted until 1885.

In 1877, Stillfried & Andersen bought the studio of Felice Beato. Stillfried had actually worked for Beato earlier in his career. During a trip in the late 1870s, Stillfried also took photos in places like Dalmatia, Bosnia, and Greece.

Stillfried's Important Work

Stillfried was one of the top photographers in Japan during the 1870s. He was well-known for his portrait photography. Like Felice Beato, he also took many pictures of everyday life and landscapes. These photos showed carefully set up scenes with people from different cultures. They also showed trips to places and sights that were new to people outside Japan.

These types of images were very popular souvenirs for foreign visitors. Many were made as hand-coloured albumen prints. Over time, these photos have become quite rare and valuable.

Documenting Modern Japan

The Japanese government asked Stillfried to help with the 1873 Vienna World Exposition. He traveled to Hokkaido, a northern island in Japan. There, he took photos that showed how Japan was becoming more modern. He also photographed the Ainu people, who are the native people of Hokkaido.

Stillfried arrived in Japan just as the country was opening up to the world. It was a time of big changes. The old government, the Tokugawa shogunate, had ended. The new government wanted to show itself as a modern nation through photography. Stillfried was in a great position to help with this important task.

Training Others and Leaving Japan

Besides his own photography, Stillfried taught many Japanese photographers. In 1876, he sold most of his photo collection to his student, Kusakabe Kimbei. Stillfried left Japan for good in 1881. He traveled to Vladivostok, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Finally, he settled in Vienna, Austria, in 1883. There, he was even given a special title: k.u.k. Hof-Photograph. This meant he was an official photographer to the Imperial and Royal Court.

Stillfried's photographs can be seen online at the Nagasaki University Library. They are also at the Canadian Centre for Architecture and the J. Paul Getty Museum. Some of his photos and watercolor paintings are kept at the Musée Guimet of Asian Arts in Paris.