In the late 19th and early 20th century, enigmatic photographer T. Enami (1859-1929) captured a number of 3D stereoviews depicting life in Meiji-period Japan.

A stereoview consists of a pair of nearly identical images that appear three-dimensional when viewed through a stereoscope, because each eye sees a slightly different image. This illusion of depth can also be recreated with animated GIFs.

Notes about Emani from T-Enami.org:

Finally, in 2009, with the discovery of his complete printed catalog of 19th Century Album views (and Lantern-Slides made from the same), Enami becomes one of only two Japanese photographers known to have a surviving list of their commercial 2-D images. (The other extant view list was published by Kimbei Kusakabe).

(…) While such a separate (and hoped-for) catalog of Enami’s ubiquitous 3-D work might yet come to light, the current discovery of his 2-D Album-view list will, when eventually republished, provide researchers and collectors with an accurate survey of his 1890s commercial images to be studied along with similar images made by his more illustrious “elders”.

+ T. Enami