William Saunders (1832-1892)

CHINESE COURT SCENE, c.1870. Albumen print, pasted down to period card, image size 210 x 272mm, card size 250 x 315mm, with manuscript title 'Court of Justice' lower margin recto, pencil caption and bibliographic reference verso.

This image, originally published as number 30 in Saunders' Portfolio of Sketches of Chinese Life and Character, 1871, depicts a Chinese court scene with two defendants kneeling before a magistrate. "The presiding magistrate occupies the bench, and on either side are his clerks. The prosecutor, who in this instance holds some small official preferment, is seated to the right of the picture, and the accused are making their statement with profuse ko-tow-ing."

Literature:

Bennett, Terry. History of Photography in China: Western Photographers, 1861-1879. London: Quaritch, 2010, p.334.