Page 74 - March 23, 2022 Sotheby's NYC Fine Chinese Works of Art

LAI CHONG’S DAGUERREOTYPE

THE EARLIEST DATED PHOTOGRAPH

BY A CHINESE PHOTOGRAPHER

稀影珍傳：麗昌照相號製僧格林沁銀版相片

The unique hand-painted daguerreotype offered here is the earliest known 此幅手工上色銀版攝影照片珍惜異常，乃現時所
dated photograph by a Chinese photographer. Hidden behind the plate is 知年代最久遠的華人攝影師作品。相片背後的紙
a leaflet fragment with ‘Daguerreotype. From Lai Chong. Photographer. 張上殘見英文印刷「Daguerreotype. From Lai Chong.
Shanghai-Kuling’ in letterpress. ‘Lai Chong Zhao Xiang Hao (麗昌照相號)’ Photographer. Shanghai-Kuling」及中文「麗昌照相
is written on the reverse in Chinese. While this piece has been previously
catalogued and exhibited as by a photographer named Lai Chong, it is 號」。本品曾被著錄並廣傳出自一名為Lai Chong
now believed that the name refers instead to a Chinese-run photographic 的攝影師之手，而今我們可知「麗昌」實為照相館
studio. Extensive notations in several hands identify the sitter as Prince 之商號。另有多位藏家手書備注，指出照片所攝為
Sengge Linqin (Sengge Rinchen / Senggelinqin) (1811-1865), a Mongol 僧格林沁親王。僧格林沁乃蒙古貴族，據稱為成吉
nobleman who served as the yellow bannerman under the Qing dynasty 思汗之弟後人，曾效命滿清黃旗，在第二次鴉片戰
and commanded the Chinese forces during the Second Opium War.
Taken in August 1853 when photography was in its infancy in China, this 爭期間領軍作戰。此照片攝於 1853 年 8 月，當時
daguerreotype is a landmark in the history of photography in this region. 的中國攝影業還處在起步階段，足見本品珍貴的歷
Very little is known about the Lai Chong studio. Due to the prohibitively 史文化價值，可謂中國攝影史上的里程碑。
high cost of establishing a photographic studio, as well as the tumultuous 後人對麗昌照相館所知甚少。影樓經營成本高昂，
Chinese political environment in the mid-to-late 19th century, success 特別是在十九世紀中後期政治動蕩的中國，若非資
would have been beyond the scope of ability for all but the most resource-
ful and skilled individuals. 源豐厚且技術嫻熟之輩，想要成功可謂難上加難。
The eruption of the First Opium War, a series of military engagements 1839年，中英第一次鴉片戰爭開戰在即，同年銀版
between Britain and the Qing Court, coincided with the invention of the 攝影法於法國問世。1842年第一次鴉片戰爭以中英
daguerreotype in France in 1839. By the time the Treaty of Nanjing had 簽署《南京條約》標誌結束，此時，銀版攝影技術
been signed, ending the conflict in 1842, the daguerreotype process had 則幾經更新換代，成品更趨穩定，功能多樣，已在
undergone a series of innovations that provided greater stability and
versatility, and the new technology quickly spread across the globe. The 全球範圍內推廣開來。銀版攝影更是首個面向大眾
daguerreotype was the first publicly available photographic process. By 的照相方法。其無底片取像的特性，讓每幅作品皆
their nature, daguerreotypes are unique as there is no negative. They are 獨一無二。正向曝光工序，在鍍銀銅片上直接形成
produced through a direct-positive process, resulting in an image on a 圖像。銀版表面精密拋光，精巧無比。
sheet of silver-plated copper. The surface, polished to a mirror-like degree,
is highly delicate.
144 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10917