Japan, circa 1880
attributed to Kusakabe Kimbei

With over 70 different named techniques for weaving bamboo and wicker, basket weaving reached legendary degrees of perfection in Japan during the late 19th century. In this image, attributed to the Japanese photographer Kusakabe Kimbei and hand-painted on the original albumen print, a basket weaver can be seen presenting his wares to a passing Geisha.