Peking, Pechili province, China: a travelling chiropodist. Photograph by John Thomson, 1869.
- Thomson, J. (John), 1837-1921.
- Date:
- 1869
- Reference:
- 19708i
- Pictures
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Description
Two men seated by the kerbside, one examining the other's foot. They are overlooked by a third man smoking a pipe, who looks out of the window of a house. Thomson seems to have mislabelled this negative: see his published legend. In Late Qing China, the streets of major cities were full of "quack doctors", many of whom practised as barbers and ear-cleaners. Here an itinerant chiropodist is operating on a painful corn and dressing the toe-nails of his patient; a second customer leaning out of a dilapidated window patiently waits his turn, while smoking the pipe of peace
Publication/Creation
1869
Physical description
1 photograph : glass photonegative, wet collodion
Contributors
Lettering
Curio-dealers
Bears Thomson's negative number: "727"
Notes
This is one of a collection of original glass negatives made by John Thomson. The negatives, made between 1868 and 1872, were purchased from Thomson by Sir Henry Wellcome in 1921
References note
John Thomson, Illustrations of China and its people, London, 1873-4, vol IV, pl. XI, fig. 26, "A Pekingese chiropodist"
China through the lens of John Thomson, 1868-1872, Beijing: Beijing World Art Museum, 2009, p. 47 (reproduced)
Reference
Wellcome Collection 19708i
Type/Technique
Languages
Subjects
Where to find it
Location Status Access Closed storesBy appointment Manual request Note