Nanking, Kiangsu province, China. Photograph by John Thomson, 1871.

  • Thomson, J. (John), 1837-1921.
Date:
1872
Reference:
19870i
  • Pictures

Selected images from this work

View 2 images

About this work

Description

The same place as in Thomson's negative number 800. Two Chinese men, one holding the breech-block from a Gatling gun or mitrailleuse. A bearded European man recognizable as the photographer John Thomson is posed ready to crank the handle to fire the newly manufactured field gun. In Illustrations of China, Thomson remarked on the Chinese ability to produce weapons, but he was also deeply worried about the poor quality raw material and the underpaid labourers used at such places

Publication/Creation

1872.

Physical description

1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion : stereograph ; glass approximately 10.5 x 21.5 cm (4 x 8 in.)

Lettering

The arsenal, Nanking Bears Thomson's negative number: "802"

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

China through the lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872, Beijing: Beijing World Art Museum, 2009, p. 82 (reproduced)

Reference

Wellcome Collection 19870i

Languages

Where to find it

  • LocationStatusAccess
    Closed stores
    By appointmentManual request

    Note

Permanent link