Paviljoen in de Yu-tuin in Shanghai, China 1855 - 1875

This stereoscopic image shows a pavilion in the Yu Garden in Shanghai, and was made by L.G. Frères et Cie. Stereoscopic images like this one were very popular in Europe and America in the late nineteenth century. They offered viewers a sense of being present in far-off locations like China. This example, like many others, reflects the Western gaze upon non-Western cultures. It was a way for Westerners to consume images of foreign lands, shaping perceptions and reinforcing power dynamics. The Yu Garden itself, originally a private garden created in the Ming Dynasty, became a public space in the mid-19th century. This transition reflects changing social structures and the opening of China to foreign influence. Analyzing such images through historical archives and postcolonial studies helps us understand not just the depicted scene, but also the complex interplay of culture, commerce, and power in the age of empire.