If you have ever seen a Japanese Buddhist statue photographed against a deep black background, you have seen the visual language that Seiyo Ogawa invented. This book brings together 111 works and documents that trace how he turned the photography of Buddhist sculpture into an art form of its own.
Born in Himeji, Ogawa first set out to become a painter, but the temples and sculptures of Nara changed his course. Encouraged by Yaichi Aizu, he founded Asukaen, a photographic studio devoted entirely to Buddhist statuary, and spent his life recording Japan's cultural heritage. He also immersed himself in East Asian art research, published the journal Toyo Bijutsu, and formed friendships with figures such as the novelist Naoya Shiga. His camera traveled beyond Japan as well, to the Yungang Grottoes in China and Seokguram in Korea.
Alongside the temple photographs, you will find the sketches and rubbings Ogawa made during his field surveys, along with research periodicals and archival material that reveal the scholar behind the lens. The later chapters follow the studio across three generations — Seiyo, Kozo, and Kotaro Ogawa — showing how the work has continued for a full century.
This volume serves as the official catalogue for the touring exhibition marking Asukaen's 100th anniversary. The text is in Japanese, and the plates speak clearly on their own. 120 pages, published by Kyuryudo Art-Publishing.
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