Amoy, Fukien province, China: a married couple, standing. Photograph by John Thomson, 1870.

  • Thomson, J. (John), 1837-1921.
Date:
1870
Reference:
19734i
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About this work

Description

A young man and woman standing in front of the photographer's screen. This is a full-length portrait of the same Amoy couple as in Wellcome Library no. 19748i, here standing in front of a European-style house. Thomson’s intention was to show the costume and general appearance of local people. This couple are dressed well, in particular the woman with her beautifully embroidered silk robe. This suggests they were from a fairly wealthy family. According to Thomson there were quite a few wealthy Chinese merchants living in Amoy at the time, living in beautiful and expensive houses

Publication/Creation

1870

Physical description

1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion : stereograph

Lettering

Amoy man and woman 41 Bears Thomson's negative number: "738"

Notes

This is one of a collection of original glass negatives made by John Thomson. The negatives, made between 1868 and 1872, were purchased from Thomson by Sir Henry Wellcome in 1921

References note

John Thomson, Illustrations of China and its people, London, 1873-4, vol. II, pl. XIV, fig. 41, "Male and female costume, Amoy"
China through the lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872, Beijing: Beijing World Art Museum, 2009, p. 109 (reproduced)

Reference

Wellcome Collection 19734i

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