This accession consists of records documenting the joint expedition made by the Freer Gallery of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, from February 20, 1923 to August 6, 1927, and also the Freer Gallery of Art sponsored expedition from November 16, 1929 to April 11, 1934. Both expeditions were led by Carl Whiting Bishop, Associate Cur...

An associate curator and associate in archaeology at the Freer Gallery of Art from 1922 to 1942, the collection of Carl Whiting Bishop (1881-1942) document his Gallery-sponsored travels to China from 1923 to 1934 and include an unpublished manuscript describing his archaeological research in China; line drawings; rubbings; maps; note cards; and nearly 4,000 glass and film negatives with corresponding original silver prints. These document his expeditions in northern and central China, illustrating archaeological sites in Henan, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces. Specific digs include the large neolithic site at Wanquan, Shanxi, and sixth century C.E. tombs near Fenyin. Additional images show Chinese cityscapes, daily life and customs, topography, temples, pagodas, caves, and sculpture.