“Picturing the news: Perceptions of 19th century China in British newspapers” exhibition 《圖説新聞：英國報章中的19世紀中國》展覽

“Picturing the news: Perceptions of 19th century China in British newspapers” exhibition 《圖説新聞：英國報章中的19世紀中國》展覽

When the Illustrated London News (ILN) was first published in 1842, it was a “technological disruption” among newspaper publishers in England. Until then, newspapers typically contained only text, very dense text. The ILN contained engraved images, making ‘reading’ newspapers a completely different experience. It was so popular that a few other newspapers followed suit.

This exhibition showcases selected images from three illustrated newspapers that the Library purchased for their coverage on China and the region, including Hong Kong. Enjoy images from the Illustrated London News, the Graphic and Sphere, and see how 19th century artists in England depicted scenes from China and Hong Kong, from marriage customs to full-scale wars.