A Pioneer of Japanese Photography: Raimund Stillfried von Rathenitz Raimund Stillfried von Rathenitz (1839-1911) occupies a singular place in the history of 19th-century art and photography, recognized foremost for his transformative role in documenting Japan during its momentous Meiji Era. Born into noble lineage in Komotau, Bohemia – now Czech Republic – Stillfried’s formative years were marked by military training at the Imperial Marine Academy, simultaneously nurturing a fervent passion for painting that would foreshadow a dual artistic vocation. This early exposure instilled within him…