Teahouse at Peking
ca. 1869
Medium
Albumen silver print from glass negative
Dimensions
Image: 9 7/16 × 11 5/16 in. (23.9 × 28.7 cm)
Classification
Photographs
Department
Photographs
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gilman Collection, Purchase, Robert Rosenkranz Gift, 2005
Accession Number
2005.100.494.9
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Teahouse at Peking**, captured around 1869 by pioneering photographer John Thomson, offers a vivid glimpse into everyday life in imperial China. Thomson, a Scottish explorer and one of the first Western photographers to extensively document Asia, ventured into Peking (modern-day Beijing) during the late dynasty. This albumen silver print depicts a traditional teahouse nestled amid urban landscapes, showcasing the architectural charm of wooden structures, tiled roofs, and bustling public spaces where locals gathered for tea and conversation—a cornerstone of Chinese social culture. image's h...
About the Artist
John Thomson · 1837–1921
John Thomson (1837–1921), a pioneering Scottish photographer, was born on 14 June 1837 in Edinburgh as the eighth of nine children to William Thomson, a tobacco spinner and trader, and Isabella Newlands.) After schooling in the early 1850s, he apprenticed with a local optical and scientific instrument manufacturer, where he mastered the principles of photography, completing his training around 185...