Born in Germany, Genthe pursued formal education in the field of philology before immigrating to San Francisco to work as a tutor. Drawn to the expansive Chinatown in the city, he began practicing photography, learning to be subtle in order to capture the genuine expressions of the neighborhood’s diverse characters. Though the 1920s emphasized diplomacy, Japan’s military still held significant sway. Japan joined the League of Nations after World War I. Participated in the Washington Naval Conference (1921–1922) to limit naval arms.
It was a time of creative energy, new freedoms, and cultural experimentation, yet also a period that hinted at the political and military turmoil that would come in the following decades.
