Mutsuhito, The Meiji Emperor
Uchida Kuichi Japanese
Not on view
The Imperial Household Agency chose Uchida, one of the most renowned photographers in Japan at the time, as the only artist permitted to photograph the Meiji Emperor in 1872 and again in 1873. Up to this point, no emperor had ever been photographed. Uchida established his reputation making portraits of samurai loyal to the ruling Tokugawa shogunate.