CC-N-0368A.T.jpg

Photograph of a Chinese junk, side view, at a harbor. In front of her are several small boats, one of which is in motion; in the background are other junks, and behind then, a shore with tall trees and Chinese-style buildings lining the coast. In the far distance are what could be mountains or clouds seen through a thick layer of fog. The junk, whose name "Ning Po" has been inscribed on the verso by Clark, has three masts with pennants flying in a breeze, and her sails are furled. In the open door of the cabin on the junk, the figure of a man with his back to the photographer is visible.
The photograph has a good depth of field, which allows the details of the shore to be visible; it was also taken, as is common for this period, with a long shutter speed. Thus, the water has a glasslike appearance from its movements blurring during the exposure; the boat in front of the junk is a blur, indicating that it was in motion as the photograph was being taken, and similarly the ends of the pennants are blurred.


ship portraits
1867-01-02
PERMANENT COLLECTION
Hart Nautical
unknown
gloss paper; photographic process
9 in x 11 1/2 in
China