China through the Lens of John Thomson 1868-1872 (17 November 2011 – 26 February 2012), Chester Beatty Library

At the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, Ireland, there is an exhibition on loan from the Wellcome Library, London, featuring images of China taken by Scottish photographer John Thomson (1837-1921) between 1868 and 1872.

Considered a pioneer of photojournalism, Thomson photographed a wide range of subjects, including people, street scenes and landscapes and these works reflect his remarkable talents for capturing the essence of the country, its people and their customs.  The collection of images included in this exhibition focus mainly on portraits of people from all walks of life whom he met on his travels in China, providing valuable historical material of 19^th century pre-modern China.