The Chester Beatty Library in Dublin Castle Shows John Thompson's 19th Cenutry Photographs of China

Written by Sean Dockrell Saturday, 10 December 2011 00:48

Dublin.- The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin Castle is proud to present "China Through the Lens of John Thompson 1868-1872" on view at the library through February 26th 2012. On loan from the Wellcome Library London, the exhibition features 51 images taken by legendary Scottish photographer and explorer John Thomson.  The photographs form a unique archive documenting the people, customs and landscape of 19th century China providing a valuable historical record of a nation undergoing major change. The exhibition was timed to coincide with Chinese New Year celebrations. Traditional clothing and material from the Library’s own collection, are included in the exhibition.  Admission is free.

A pioneer of photojournalism, and one of the most influential photographers of the 19th century, John Thomson was the first Western photographer to document the people and landscape of China for publication. His subjects ranged from street people to mandarins and princes, from imperial palaces to remote monasteries. His photographs show a fragile nation in the process of change with the weakening Qing dynasty (1644-1911).  While most photographers at that time depicted their subjects in formal pose, Thomson attempted to capture the personality and lifestyle of his subject. The photos are particularly revealing about women, at a time when higher-class women, in particular, were rarely allowed to leave their household. After returning to Britain, Thomson took an active role in educating the public about China. He sensed that a profound transformation was taking place in the world, and his photographs contributed greatly to Europe’s view of Asia. He became known as ‘China Thomson’ and his work constitutes a historical treasure chest, documenting imperial China before it disappeared forever. He was appointed by Queen Victoria to be photographer to the Royal Family, in 1881.


Thomson practiced photography in the early days of its development. The ‘wet- collodion’ process he used involved a large amount of cumbersome equipment. He needed the assistance of ten porters to carry instruments, chemical supplies and even a portable darkroom, across 5,000 miles. Director of the Chester Beatty Library, Fionnuala Croke said the exhibition ‘brought a new dimension’ to the Chester Beatty’s Chinese collection, much of which dates back to the Qing dynasty. “In our collection we are fortunate to have rare books carved from tablets of jade; over 900 snuff bottles; dragon robes worn by the imperial family as well as painted handscrolls, woodblock prints and books all representative of a wonderful Chinese heritage.  We are very pleased to bring this photographic legacy of deeply moving images to a wider public.” A selection of original Chinese clothing and material from Chester Beatty Library’s own collection and similar to items worn by people in the photographs in the exhibition will be on display. Shoes for bound feet; a late 19th century finely-embroidered woman’s robe; children’s clothing; a fan appliquéd with kingfisher feathers; and an assortment of girdle hangings, including purses and spectacles, will amplify the exhibition.

Described by the Lonely Planet as not just the best museum in Ireland, but one of the best in Europe, the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin is an art museum and library which houses the great collection of manuscripts, miniature paintings, prints, drawings, rare books and some decorative arts assembled by Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968). Its rich collections from countries across Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe opens a window on the artistic treasures of the great cultures and religions of the world. Chester Beatty Library was named Irish Museum of the year in 2000 and was awarded the title European Museum of the Year in 2002. Egyptian papyrus texts, beautifully illuminated copies of the Qur'an, the Bible, European medieval and renaissance manuscripts are among the highlights of the collection. In its diversity, the collection captures much of the richness of human creative expression from about 2700 BC to the present day. Chester Beatty’s library has been described as the finest collection of manuscripts and books made by a private collector in the 20th century. It includes representative samples of the world’s heritage (artistic, religious and secular) from about 2700 BC to the present century. The Western treasures of the Library include some of the earliest sources on papyrus for the bible and a great library of Manichean texts. The Biblical Papyri, dating from the second to the fourth century AD, consist of the earliest known copies of the four gospels and Acts of the Apostles, the Letters of St Paul, the Book of Revelation and various very early Old Testament fragments. Armenian and Western European manuscripts from medieval, Renaissance and modern times, prints, early and fine books and bindings complete a remarkable conspectus of the arts of manuscript production and printing from many cultures and periods.

Over 6,000 individual items, mainly manuscripts and single-page paintings and calligraphies, make up the Islamic Collections. This includes more than 260 complete and fragmentary Qur’ans, some dating from the late eighth and ninth centuries and including the work of the leading calligraphers of the Islamic world. The East Asian Collections include a fine series of albums and scrolls from China, the largest collection of jade books from the Imperial Court outside China and a large collection of textiles and decorative objects. The Japanese holdings contain many superb painted scrolls from the 17th and 18th century, woodblock prints by Hiroshige and Hokusai and many others as well as decorative art objects. Visit the library's website at ... http://www.cbl.ie

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