- Himeno, Junichi. Encounters With Foreign Photographers: The Introduction and Spread of Photography in Kyishi. In Reflecting Truth: Japanese Photography in the Nineteenth Century (Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2004), 18-29.
- Rousmaniere, Nicole Coolidge, and Mikiko Hirayama, eds. Reflecting Truth: Japanese Photography in the Nineteenth Century (Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2004), 18-29.
Pompe arrived Japan SEp 1857 (stayed 5 years) - opened chemical factory in nagasaki, employed Matsumoto Ryojun as spervisor
Ueno took over family business as manufacturer of potassium nitrate
p. 21
Ueno and Horie Kuwajiro, with funding from Todo Takayuki, daimyo of Tsu clan, purchased camera and chemicals from France for 150 ryo. Ueno "was so satisfied with the new equipment" he became a subject of the Tsu clan in order to accompany it to Edo p. 22
Ueno was born (1838) in Ginya-machi, Nagasaki - second son of Shunnoj following death of father, aspired to learn chemistry to continue family business (nitre powder, chintz dyeing) p. 23
Ueno (as employee of Todo) stayed at Tsu clan residence in Edo, 1860. A glass-plate portrait of Ueno at 23 was taken by his friend Horie in Edo laboratory in 1861. Horie and Ueno co-authored Shamitsu kyoku hikkei - translated extracta from 10 Dutch science manuals, the appendix, Satsueijutsu (The Technique of Photography) described wet-plate prossess, asphalt printing method invented by Niepce, incl first desc published in Japan of lithographic printing
Ueno returned to nagasaki, finding Pompe had left, abandoned rangaku (Dutch leaning? chemistry?) Fall of 1862 opened his own photographic studio by the Nakashima River overcame early suspicion of "Christian sorcery" of his potential clients, soon photographed foreigners, daimyo, clansmen, townspeople of Nagasaki. several famous opponents of the Bakafu: Takasugi Shinsaku, Ito Shunsuke, Sakamoto Ryoma - ph. between 1865-1867 Though he apparently di d not offer ph. albums as souvenirs, he seems to have made some albums by special request for foreign customers
soon successful enough to afford more expensive materials and to expand his studios
His technqiue particularly improved via encounter with Beato ("who frequently visited Nagasaki") While in Nagasaki, Beato borrowed ueno's studio - took portraits of Ueno's younger sister (check group portrait by Ueno!) and Ueno's acquaintances and merchants in the town. Beato ph Daikoji temple with ueno in image (fig. 2) The two photographers seem to have exchanged photos (a Beato photo at Zojoji temple in Shiba shows ueno with a group [see Philipp, p. 13]) Konrad Walter Gratama taught Ueno chemistry in 1866 (!) Wilhelm Burger also seems to have taught Ueno - some of Burger's stereographs were taken in Ueno's studio (fig. 3) p. 24
Relationship between Ueno and Uchida - delicate, complicated apprenticeship, friendship, and rivalry p. 25
following uchida's return to nagasaki to ph Emperor, 1872 several identical photos appear in albums of the time by Ueno and Uchida p. 26
Students of Ueno: Kameya Tokujiro*, Tomishige Rihei, Nakajima Shinzo, Nagai Nagayoshi, Noguchi Joichi, Nakajima Seimin, Tanaka, Morita Raizo, Kikizu Maturoku
- whose daughter is known as the first woman photographer in Japan
close relationship between Ueno and Tomishige
Ueno considered French and American photo techniques and materials (paper and lenses) to be superior to those of British, who also (he complained) were overpriced: e.g. albumen paper sold ca. 1868 for 100 ryo per box
in 1877 Ueno was employed by governor of Nagasaki prefecture (Kitajima Hidetomo) to take photos of battlefields of Satsuma Rebellion for 330 Y for 420 prints (he was accompanied by Setsu Shinichi and Noguchi Joichi) p. 27