History of Photography in China (Terry Bennett)

Bill Brown
Mr. Terry Bennett, author of Photography in Japan 1853-1912, has kindly provided 3 excellent photos for my upcoming book, "Old Xiamen in Foreigners' Eyes", (Laowai Kan Lao Xiamen 老外看老厦门). I am also happy to learn that in April, 2009, we will have a unique chance to step back in time with Mr. Bennett's new History of Photography in China 1842-1860 (London: Bernard Quaritch Limited). He will also publish further volumes covering photography to the end of the Qing Dynasty.

If the 5-star ratings of Mr. Bennett's book on Photography in Japan are a clue, the China book should be a goldmine of thorough scholarship and never-before-seen photographs. I can't wait!

It is amazing that Mr. Bennett could even find China photos dating from 1842, given that the daguerreotype process was not perfected until 1839. But fortunately for posterity, only five days after the process was patented in Britain, the French government, which had given Daguerre a pension instead of a patent, announced that this fascinating new medium was a "free gift to the world"--and the world seized it with a passion. Foreigners fascinated with the Celestial Kingdom packed their photographic gear and boarded the slow boats to China, and now Mr. Bennett will share with us just what they discovered.

I just went online to Amazon to pre-order a copy, but it is not listed yet. So don't forget--April (just six weeks away), buy a copy of History of Photography in China 1842-1860.
Xiamen University .... www.amoymagic.com