Rare Photos Capture Life in 1800s China

By William Lee

Early photographs revealing life in China from 140 years ago have reemerged after going up for auction. The images were captured by Scottish photographer and explorer John Thomson as he journeyed through China between 1873 and 1874.

The Nanking artillery arsenal.

Women sorting tea in Canton.

The diverse array of pictures depict the broad spectrum of Chinese life at the time. Amongst them are shots of rural peasants as well as statesmen and warriors.

Two actors from the Chinese theatre strike a pose.

Two Canton boat girls.

Thomson captured his shots using the ‘wet collodion' process, which meant that his subjects had to hold their pose for up to several minutes.

A peasant relaxes by a camel statue.

This man has been sentenced to the starvation punishment, around his neck is a wooden 'cangue'.

So impressive were the photos that upon his return to Britain, Thomson was appointed an official royal photographer by Queen Victoria.

The National University in Peking.

A stunning picture of the Wu Shan Gorge.

A Manchu solider takes aim.

Next month, Sotheby's will sell one of the last remaining copies of the photo album, which is expected to sell for GB£35,000.

[Images via the Daily Mail]

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