Cantonese Boy; Cantonese Merchant; Mongolian Male Head; A Venerable Head; A Labourer; Mongolian Male Head c. 1868

This album page from John Thomson's "Illustrations of China and its People" (c. 1868) features six portraits. Thomson, a Scottish photographer, traveled to China in the mid-19th century, documenting the lives and cultures of the Chinese people. The album page, a collection of six oval images, shows a Cantonese boy, a Cantonese merchant, a Mongolian man, a venerable head (possibly a Buddhist monk), a laborer, and another Mongolian man. Thomson's photographic approach provides an anthropological glimpse into China's diverse population during a time of significant cultural change. This album page, now housed at The Art Institute of Chicago, offers a glimpse into the rich and multifaceted history of China.