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Art Institute of Chicago

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John Thomson — Foochow Coolies; A Foochow Detective; The Chief of Thieves; Beggars Living in a Tour
John Thomson

Foochow Coolies; A Foochow Detective; The Chief of Thieves; Beggars Living in a Tour

1868

Social documentary photography exposes the harsh realities of urban poverty and crime, demonstrating Thomson's willingness to document all aspects of Chinese society, not just the picturesque.

Medium
Collotype, pl. XXI from the album "Illustrations of China and its People, Volume II" (1873)

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About this work

John Thomson, Foochow Coolies; A Foochow Detective; The Chief of Thieves; Beggars Living in a Tour, 1868

Social documentary photography exposes the harsh realities of urban poverty and crime, demonstrating Thomson's willingness to document all aspects of Chinese society, not just the picturesque.

Medium
Collotype, pl. XXI from the album "Illustrations of China and its People, Volume II" (1873)
Year
1868
Seen at
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Related themes

Documentary, 19th Century, People, Historical, Asian Culture, Portrait, Sepia, British, Photojournalism, Collotype

More works by John Thomson

Collected by

Art Institute of Chicago, Cleveland Museum of Art