“Captions accompanying historic photo exhibit give Chinese sanitized version of English ones.” From theStar.com:
They are exquisite photographs of a long gone world of gamblers and governors, beggars and brides, peddlers and princes.
In was the latter part of the 19th century, and Scottish photographer John Thomson brought his camera and curiosity to China – coming away with a collection of enduring images that are still rare in the photographic world today.
Now some 140 years later, they’ve found their way back to China.
“China through the lens of John Thomson 1868-1872,” is a magnificent exhibition set to tour four cities across China, retracing Thomson’s steps. It’s the first time the photos have been shown here and the exhibition’s opening in Beijing was packed.
William Schupbach, librarian for Wellcome Trust in London, which owns the collection, calls it “the biggest and best” exhibition yet of Thomson’s China photographs.
That much is undeniable. Thomson’s subjects are rendered with sensitivity and respect.
