照片集中为19世纪70年代至20世纪50年代间的中国。主要拍摄者为英国普通人而非专业摄影师或艺术家,包括商人、外交官、传教士、警察、海关工作人员等。尽管如此,不少摄影作品感情真诚,技巧娴熟。小部分重庆照片从工作室渠道搜集或专业人士授权获得,大部分照片由彼时在重庆工作或生活的英国人回国时带回。
Our photographs, taken in China from 1870 to 1950 were mostly taken by ordinary people. These are not professional photographers or artists. They were taken by businessmen, diplomats, missionaries, policemen, members of the Customs etc.Some of them were from studios.
编号17969、17970 “朝天门”照片以及编号20518“棒棒”照片均出自英国太古集团有限公司(John Swire & Sons)高级总监Warren Swire之手。英国太古集团有限公司历史可追溯至1816年。早在1861年就通过代理与中国开展贸易。Warren Swire在上世纪二、三十代担任公司决策层角色,每隔3年左右即被派往中国。
The No. 17969 and No. 17970 titled “Chiao Tien Men property in Chungking” and the No. 20518 titled ”Bang bang men at Taiping Men, Chungking” were all taken by Warren Swire, a senior director in the British company John Swire & Sons.In the late 1920s and the 1930s he was the most important figure in the firm.
展览希望中国人民能够面对面感受这批照片的魅力,尤其是身处照片拍摄地的人们。尽管所有照片都能在网上http://hpc.vcea.net/浏览,但是实物的震撼力会远远超过电子版。我们希望借助展览让大众重温过去,并与之分享保存在普通人手中、由普通家庭传承的珍贵资料。 The purpose of the exhibition is to highlight the wonderful resources that can be found preserved in the hands of ordinary people, in their family treasure chests, and which throw new light on the past.
编辑:陈乔第 张弋     美术设计:杨俊  框架搭建:余松时