Groepsportret van mensen op de tribune bij de paardenraces van Beijing 1885 - 1889

This photograph captures a group portrait at the Peking Race course; the photographer is unknown. The image offers a glimpse into the social activities of the foreign community in China during a period of unequal treaties and colonial influence. It shows a grandstand filled with people, many of whom are identified in handwriting on the photograph itself. Names such as “A Russian” and “Baron Ketteler” suggest the presence of diplomats or other expatriates, likely members of the elite class. The image subtly speaks to issues of race and class. The grandstand represents a space where the foreign elite could gather, reinforcing their social status and cultural norms in a setting far removed from their home countries. The act of gathering for a horse race, a distinctly Western leisure activity, highlights the imposition of foreign cultures onto Chinese soil. What remains unseen is a broader, more complex picture of cultural exchange and the negotiation of power between different groups during this historical period.