Sadakichi Hartmann

Born in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1867, Sadakichi Hartmann was the son of a Japanese mother and a German father. He grew up partly in the United States and became a restless, cosmopolitan figure whose life crossed many artistic circles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Hartmann wrote poetry, drama, fiction, and criticism, but he is especially noted for his early art and photography criticism. He knew major cultural figures of his era, including Walt Whitman, and built a reputation as an independent-minded commentator with strong opinions and a flair for performance.

Later in life he spent time in California, where his eccentric personality became part of his legend. Today he is often seen as an important early Asian American writer and a distinctive voice in modern American arts criticism.