The beginning of photography in China coincides with the country’s obliged opening to the West during the so-called “century of treaties”. Between 1839 and 1860, the Opium Wars brought an end to Sino-British commercial conflicts and the defeated Qing dynasty had to endure the opening up of several commercial ports and the ceding of Honk Kong to the United Kingdom. This semi-colonial situation brought in numerous Western traders but was also a focal point for adventurers and young entrepreneurs in search of fame and fortune.

Among them were European and American photographers, who settled in the main coastal cities as from 1858, in what at first were commercial contracts and tenders of trade to foreign residents, although they lost no time in taking an interest in landscapes, the people and the local customs. For the first time, a camera had access to this enormous country. The first, known photos taken in China were by the Swiss photographer Joseph Rossier and Felice Beato from Crete during the last months of the war. Later came the Americans Charles Weed and Milton Miller. These were followed by a second wave of photographers, notable of whom are William Saunders, John Thompson and Emil Rusfeldt.

All of them set up studios which were active from the 60s to the 80s and had the virtue of introducing the art and technique of photography to a country which was still firmly anchored to its feudal past. Despite the natives’ superstitions, which attributed to the camera the power of usurping the soul, some Chinese firms, such as Afong Lai, Tung Hing, Sze Yuen Ming or Pun Lun, also skillfully adopted the new media. The images, which barely survive today, though limited by 19th century commercial photography format, make for a fascinating testimony of the final years of Imperial China. For the first time in Europe, we have recuperated the legacy of their authors by presenting a selection of 80, original photographs taken in China between 1850 and 1900.

SHEDING OF CHINA VIRTUAL EXHIBITION