Finding aid for Photograph Album of Canton, 1870s 2010.R.3
Beth Ann Guynn
Special Collections
2020
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles 90049-1688
Business Number: (310) 440-7390
Fax Number: (310) 440-7780
reference@getty.edu
Contributing Institution: Special Collections
Title: Photograph album of Canton
Creator: Lai, Fong, approximately 1839-1890
Identifier/Call Number: 2010.R.3
Physical Description: 1.5 Linear Feet(28 photographs in 1 album)
Date (inclusive): 1870s
Physical Location: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the
catalog record for this collection. Click here for the
access policy .
Abstract: The disbound album of 28 albumen photographs of Canton (Guangzhou), China and surrounding areas comprises a mix of Chinese
scenes (temples, gardens, tea houses, rice fields) and images related specifically to the European community in Canton and
its activities.
Language of Material: Collection material is in English with some French.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Photograph album of Canton, 1870s, The Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles, Accession no. 2010.R.3.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa2010r3
Arrangement
Arranged in a single series:
Series I. Photograph album of Canton, 1870s.
Biographical / Historical
The compiler of the album is unknown. was likely a European residing in Canton during the 1870s.
Scope and Content of Collection
The disbound album of 28 photographs of Canton (Guangzhou) and surrounding areas compiled by an unidentified person in the
1870s. Based on the content of the album the compiler was likely a European residing in Canton at that time. The photographs
comprise a mixture of Chinese scenes (temples, gardens, tea houses, rice fields), and images related specifically to the European
community in Canton (Fort Macao; the European Concession on Shamian; the English church). Photographs recording the European
community include three images taken at the Canton race course, two of which show the community gathered en masse; two group
photographs taken on picnics in the Canton area; and a scene from an amateur theatrical production. One photograph reproduces
a portrait painting or print of a young Chinese woman.
Two photographs are identified as being by Lai Fong and it is likely that he or his studio took a number of the images, as
his studio frequently documented the events and outings of the denizens of the Western settlements in the treaty ports.
The album has blue paper covers. Captions are written on the mounts below the images in two different hands. Twenty-four English
captions are written in pencil and four French captions are in ink. Two captions bear the date 1873. The image titles are
taken from the captions.
Processing Information
The finding aid was written by Beth Ann Guynn in 2020.
Digitized Material
The collection was digitized circa 2010 and the images are available online:
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/2010r3
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired in 2010.
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photograph albums -- China -- 19th century
Albumen prints -- China -- 19th century
Photographs, Original.
Group portraits -- China -- 19th century
Europeans -- China
Guangzhou (China) -- Description and travel
Shamian (China) -- Description and travel
Photograph album of Canton, Series I.
1870s
Photograph album of Canton, 1870s (digitized version)
box 1, page 1 recto
English "Yamoon," Residence of the British Consul in Canton, 2010.R.3-1r
1874 or 1878
Scope and Contents
The image shows a wide staircase likely located in the forecourt or garden of the building. The Flower Pagoda is present in
the background. Another copy of this image appears in the G. Prat Photograph Album of China and Japan (accession no. 98.R.14)
with the handwritten caption: La pagode des Fleurs en 1878, avant sa réparation.
box 1, page 2 recto
Theatrical Society in "Aladin," 2010.R.3-2r
1870s
Scope and Contents
The photograph depicts five European men in Chinese costume ranged "on stage" before a painted Chinese screen set on the veranda
of a building.
box 1, page 3 recto
Chinese Temple, 2010.R.3-3r
1870s
box 1, page 4 recto
Chinese School (English Teacher), 2010.R.3-4r
1870s
Scope and Contents
This photograph is a group portrait of a class of Chinese male students and their teacher.
box 1, page 5 recto
Chinese Tea Hongs, 2010.R.3-5r
1870s
box 1, page 6 recto
Chinese Garden, 2010.R.3-6r
1870s
Scope and Contents
The photograph depicts four Chinese men ranged on the steps and first story of a two-story loggia.
box 1, page 7 recto
Le fort "Macao" près de Canton, 2010.R.3-7r
1870s
box 1, page 8 recto
"Shameen" concession européenne, vue prise de la rivière, 2010.R.3-8r
1870s
Scope and Contents
In 1859, the foreign community in Guangzhou was moved from the banks of the Pearl River to Shamian, an island built on a former
sandbar that was separated from the mainland by the creation of an artificial canal or river (now called Shajichong) and built
up to encompass twenty-seven hectares. Britain leased three-fifths of the island from China, using itfor their concession
or settlement, while France leased the remaining land for theirs.
box 1, page 9 recto
"Shameen" concession européenne, 2010.R.3-9r
1870s
box 1, page 10 recto
"Shameen" concession européenne, bateaux chinois, 2010.R.3-10r
1870s
Scope and Contents
This photograph was taken from the opposing shore of the Pearl River and shows Chinese boats in the foreground and the official
buildings of the European settlement across the river.
box 1, page 11 recto
Chinese Junks and Sampans, 2010.R.3-11r
1870s
box 1, page 12 recto
Simpson Co's. House in Canton, 2010.R.3-12r
1870s
Scope and Contents
Several European and Chinese men are ranged on the steps and porch of the house and women appear in the upper windows.
box 1, page 13 recto
English Church (Shameen), 2010.R.3-13r
1870s
Scope and Contents
View of the Shamian Christian Church built in 1865 for British Anglicans.
box 1, page 14 recto
Lai Fong, Lee-Ming-Coon Garden, Canton, 2010.R.3-14r
1870s
Scope and Contents
Title from the printed caption on the mount of another copy of this image contained in the Lai Fong album in the Clark Worswick
Collection of Photographs of China and Southeast Asia (accession no. 2003.R.22, box 7). For another copy of this photograph
bearing the same printed caption as well as a printed legend, see Images Related to Shanghai and Other Chinese Cities (accession
no. 2007.R.15).
Caption written on mount: Chinese Tea Garden "Lee min Koon" near Canton.
box 1, page 15 recto
Tea House and Rice Field, 2010.R.3-15r
1870s
box 1, page 16 recto
Eating House, 2010.R.3-16r
1870s
box 1, page 17 recto
Chinese Houses, 2010.R.3-17r
1870s
box 1, page 18 recto
Rice Fields, 2010.R.3-18r
1870s
box 1, page 19 recto
Chinese Hongs, 2010.R.3-19r
1870s
Scope and Contents
Taken from across a field of tea plants, the view shows Chinese workers and children posing along a low mound in front of
the walls of a large compound.
box 1, page 20 recto
Chinese Pagoda, 2010.R.3-20r
1870s
box 1, page 21 recto
Entrance to a Chinese Temple, 2010.R.3-21r
1870s
box 1, page 22 recto
Pic Nic Party (near Canton), 2010.R.3-22r
1870s
Scope and Contents
The group portrait includes 11 European men and one woman posed on the base of a paifang or memorial archway.
box 1, page 23 recto
Race Pic Nic, Canton (Lee min Koon), 2010.R.3-23r
1873 December
Scope and Contents
The photograph shows a large group of Europeans, primarily males, with a few women interspersed, outside one of the buildings
of the Lee-Ming-Koon garden. The garden was near the Canton race track.
box 1, page 24 recto
Lai Fong, Race Meeting, December, 1873, Canton, 2010.R.3-24r
1873
Scope and Contents
The photograph depicts a large group of European men, along with a few European women and Chinese men, posed in and in front
of the viewing stand. Signed in the negative: Afong.
box 1, page 25 recto
Race Course (Canton), 2010.R.3-25r
1873?
Scope and Contents
The view looking across the race course to the main pavilion shows the large crowds gathered for the races.
box 1, page 26 recto-1
Country near Canton, 2010.R.3-26r.1
1870s
box 1, page 26 recto-2
Chinese Girl, 2010.R.3-26r.2
1870s
Scope and Contents
Photographic reproduction of a painting or print.
box 1, page 27 recto
Waterfall about 100 Miles from Canton, 2010.R.3-27r
1870s
