Chinese Shadows - Through a diplomatic lens

Published on the occasion of the exhibition 'Chinese Shadows', which brought together a selection of photographs by Helene Hoppenot and Andre Travert, this portfolio presents a selection of little-known or unpublished prints from photographic collections belonging to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both photographers were connected to the French diplomatic mission in China. Their work, which covers the period between the 1930s and 1950s, offers a unique glimpse into the nation and its people. Prior to the advent of communism, Hoppentot sought out famous monuments and rural landscapes. Travert's images perceptively record the profound transformations after 1947.