Nakaji Yasui(1903-1942) was one of the most prominent photographers in the first half of the 20th century in Japan, who started the “New Photography movement” with his colleagues from the Kansai district. He left an indelible impression on the pre-war golden age of modernist photography with his cutting-edge approach, working in many different styles from pictorialism to photomontage.
Even though he was one of the leading figures in Japanese photography, especially in relation to the larger sphere of the fine arts, few original prints by Yasui are in existence today. These photographs were originally published in 1942, the year that Yasui died. Considering this is the last book Yasui released at a time when many materials were in short supply because of Japan’s war effort, original copies are exceptionally hard to come by. This collotype portfolio collects six of the photographers most famous works from that original portfolio, bringing them back to life for modern viewers.
