Description
Black and white photograph showing view from the top of a city wall, with a view of the street below with a large number of mourners in a funeral procession. The mourners are led by people dressed in white and followed by elaborately dressed men carrying a decorated bier. Carts, cars and pedestrians travel on both sides of the road. From the city wall, you can see the rooftops of the low level city buildings stretching into the distance.
Significance statement
Morrison took this photograph from the top of the Tartar City wall in Chongwenmen Street West (formerly Hatamen dajie). The bird's-eye view was a modernist device which accentuated distance, physically and metaphorically, from the subject. The vantage point also accentuates perspective creating strong diagonal lines which help give dramatic structure to the image.
Production notes
This is one of a large number of photographs that were taken by Hedda Morrison (1908-1991) during her years of residence in Peking (Beijing), China 1933-1946.
History notes
Exhibited in 'Peking: 1933-1946 - A photographic impression', Menzies Library, Australian National University, 17-30 June 1967; 'An Asian experience: 1933-67', organised by the Asian Studies Association of Australia, Fisher Library Foyer, University of Sydney, 12-30 May 1986.
Credit line
Gift of Mr Alastair Morrison, 1992
Registration number
92/1414-214
