Gezicht op Zhengyang Men before 1920

Donald Mennie captured this image of Zhengyang Men with photographic materials of the era. The sepia tones and the soft focus are inherent to the photographic processes available at the time, reflecting the aesthetics and technologies that shaped early 20th-century photography. This approach was more than just a way of documenting reality; it was a way of framing it. Mennie, a Westerner, captured a slice of Chinese life, perhaps with an eye for the exotic or picturesque. Consider the laborers and the modes of transport depicted – wheelbarrows and carriers. The photograph subtly speaks to the social stratification and labor dynamics of the time, hinting at the economic realities that underpinned daily life in China. It invites us to reflect on the social context in which this image was created, who had the means to create and consume such images, and the stories they chose to tell. Photographs like these challenge traditional distinctions between art and documentation. They prompt us to consider the cultural significance embedded in the materials and the making of an image.