Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives

View of Peking from the Observatory, with 17th century astronomical instruments

Summary

Collection ID:
FSA.A2009.03
Dates:
1870s
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Item
photographic print
albumen
21.4 x 27.5 cm
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
A large format albumen print of the Beijing Ancient Observatory, with various bronze instruments, altazimuth in the foreground. The print has minor fading and wear, and appears to have been removed from a photographic album. Print shows slight image doubling, suggesting that the camera was nudged during the long exposure. Exact date and photographer are unknown.
Scope and Contents
北京

Arrangement

Arrangement
Single item

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The observatory was originally built in the Ming dynasty, but expanded in the Qing dynasty. Many of the instruments were looted during the occupation of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

Administration

Custodial History
Gift of Dr. Thomas Lawton

Digital Content


Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Citation
View of Peking from the Observatory, with 17th century astronomical instruments, FSA.A2009.03. National Museum of Asian Art Archives. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Gift of Dr. Thomas Lawton.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository.

More Information

Local Numbers

Local Numbers
FSA A2009.03


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Astronomy Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Astronomical observatories -- China Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
China Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beijing (China) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Albumen prints -- 1860-1880 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
China -- Peking (Beijing) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives
National Museum of Asian Art Archives
Washington, D.C. 20013
AVRreference@si.edu