Emperor Yongzheng in his library at the Yuanmingyuan

The Taking of Canton [Guangzhou] game, about 1858, drawing by C. Bommier (French, dates unknown) and lithograph by H. Jannin(French, dates unknown), mixed media.

Poster for "The Chinese Lady" on Display at Nathan Dunn's Chinese Collection Exhibition, London, 1851, Nathan Dunn (American, 1782–1844), letterpress,

Foreign photographers

Surveying, conveying information, providing views for back home

Native photographers

Adapting technologies to existing aesthetic standards

Felice Beato, Tea House of Yu Garden in Shanghai, albumen print, ca. 1860

Felice Beato, Anding Gate on the northern wall of the Forbidden City (Beijing), ca. 1860

Western Gate

Itinerant Barbers, 1860s–70s, William Saunders (British, 1832–92), hand-colored albumen print.

An Itinerant Barber, Thomas Allston, 1843

A Palace Eunuch, Beijing, 1870s–80s, Liang Shitai (also known as See Tay) (Chinese, active in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Beijing, 1870s–80s), albumen silver print.

Shanghai Merchants, 1860–64, Milton Miller (American, 1830–1899), albumen silver print.

Hong of Smith, Archer & Co. in Guangzhou, late 1860s, Lai Afong (Chinese, 1839–1890), albumen silver print

Interior of the Salon of Mr. Kresser, Director of the Bank of Hong Kong, about 1865, John Thomson (Scottish, 1837–1921), albumen silver print.

General View of Wuzhou, 1860s, Lai Afong(Chinese, 1839–1890), albumen silver print

Plate from Album of Boheaor Wu-e Photographic Views, 1860s–70s, Tung Hing(Chinese, active 1860s–80s), albumen silver prints.

Portrait of Li Hongzhang in Tianjin, 1878, Liang Shitai(Chinese, active in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tianjin, 1870s–1880s), albumen silver print.

1894-5 First Sino-Japanese War 1912, End of Qing Dynasty, Founding of

Republic of China 1949 People’s Republic of China 1966-76, Cultural Revolution 1976 Death of Mao Tsetung

Xu Beihong, Portrait of Lim Loh, 1927

Xu Beihong, Portrait of Ms Jenny (1939)

Grazing Horse, dated 1932Xu Beihong

Xu Beihong, Sketch of Mr. Kinlo Cheng, 1937

Xu Beihong, Portrait of Madame Cheng, 1941

Lady of the Xiang River, dated 1947Fu Baoshi (Chinese, 1904–1965)Album leaf; ink and color on paper; 10 1/2 x 12 7/8 in.

Landscape, 1946Artist: Fu Baoshi

61.2 x 92.4 cm (24 1/8 x 36 3/8 x 4.0 in.)Ink and color on paper

Fu Baoshi, Playing Weiqi at the Water Pavillion, mid 20th C

Fu Baoshi, Landscape, 1964

Luo Gongliu (b. 1916)Mao Zedong Reporting on the Rectification in Yan'an1951

Sun Zixi (b. 1929)In Front of Tiananmen1964

Old Labor Revolutionary Team of the Vehicle Repair Section, Changxindian District, In Revolution There is Justice, July 1968

This courtyard, built especially for the collection of rent, is surrounded by a hundred-meter long corridor in which stands the clay figures. Hungry peasants had to use the back door to pay rent."

"Under the cold gaze of the landlord’s stooge, the poverty-stricken peasants trudge into the courtyard carrying the grains they have toiled so bitterly for”

The trick winnower has reduced two full baskets of grain to one. With heavy hearts mother and daughter drag it to be measured.

Even a tottering, sick man has to drag in his rent on time

"Liu orders the village chief and a policeman to ransack the homes of peasants and pressgang them if they cannot pay their rent. Another family is broken up as the father is dragged away and the mother is knocked to the ground."

"With their carrying-poles they will smash the system of exploitation to bits

Kuomintang soldier and a secret society henchman lay hands on the old peasant’s son as he rushed up to argue with the landlord Liu

'This is good grain!' Cries the old peasant

Only by thoroughly demolishing the man-eating system can the working people be emancipated

Follow forever the Chinese Communist Party and raise high the red flag of revolution