Book Review: The Arab Imago: A Social History of Portrait Photography 1860–1910, by Stephen Sheehi, The Art Bulletin, 98:4 (2016): 531-534. (original) (raw)

This book review discusses Stephen Sheehi's "The Arab Imago: A Social History of Portrait Photography 1860–1910", highlighting the intricate archival recovery of photographs by Franz von Stillfried in Japan during the late nineteenth century. The review praises Gartlan's biographical approach to understanding Stillfried's work while also noting some limitations in his conclusions drawn from sparse evidence. It reflects on the impact of the book on future scholarship regarding early Japanese photography and advocates for a more nuanced understanding of Stillfried's contributions.