Drie Chinezen in Shanghai gebruiken kruiwagen als vervoermiddel c. 1860 - 1900

Sze Yuen Ming & Co. made this photograph of three Chinese men in Shanghai using a wheelbarrow as transport. The photograph allows us to think about the social and economic structures of early 20th century Shanghai. Who are these three men? Are they wealthy merchants being transported by the working class? Or, do they belong to a social group that uses wheelbarrows for transport? It is important to remember the role of Western powers in Shanghai at this time and we can consider the impact of European colonialism on Chinese social structures. The architecture in the background of the photograph hints at this Western presence. This photograph is a rich source of historical information and further research into the archives of Shanghai might reveal more about its social context. We need to think carefully about the institutional histories that shape our understanding of art.