Photographs by Auguste François : South China (1896-1904).
Auguste François (1857-1935) carried out several administrative/diplomatic
missions in the Far East and in South America. He did his first photographic
report in Paraguay where he was French Consul from 1893 to 1895 and the
Association Auguste François has a collection of 300 negatives from this
period. However, it was above all in China that the Consul developed this
practice. He travelled extensively across the South provinces with his
secretary J. Joseph Beauvais and brought back a substantial number of
photographs, the majority of which are now held at the Musée Guimet (some are
displayed on the national museums’ website: Réunion
des Musées Nationaux - RMN), as well as
some cinematographic images filmed in Yunnan from as early as 1901.
The Consul had at his disposition a
substantial and varied amount of photography equipment: 9x12cm camera, 8x9cm
camera, camera binoculars, stereo camera, 18x24cm view camera, 4.5x6cm Gaumont
hand-held camera “Block-Notes”. On
the mountainous paths of the Guizhou, with daily legs of 25 kilometres, this
equipment required no less than 8 people to carry it. For certain pictures
taken inside, the Consul used magnesium flashes. A. François was in direct
correspondence with Léon Gaumont, pioneer of the cinema industry, and would
develop and print his own photographs in dark rooms that he improvised
according to circumstance, either behind the curtains of his sedan chair or in
the cabin of his junk (Chinese sailing vessel). Most of the letters he sent to
his French correspondents included photos.
As well as his films, the Association Auguste
François’s collection includes over a thousand photographs for China alone
(Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan). It is
essentially composed of digitalised images from paper prints made by the Consul
himself, many of which had been put into albums or panoramas. He had also given
precise dates and captions to each photo.
This collection provides a unique reflection
of daily life in South China in the last years of the Qing Empire. It can be
divided into several topics: landscapes, cities and countryside - Temples and
Monuments - Population, types, daily life - The Chinese army and officials -
The Consul and his circle - Itineraries and land/sea transport - The xenophobic
uprisings of 1900 and 1903 - Studies of the French railway in Yunnan -
Photomontages of panoramas.
Note: The few photos
presented below aim simply to provide a quick overview of the content of the
collection. The images reproduced only give a poor idea of the quality of the
original prints.
© Association Auguste François - Paris
AAF-1242: From Mong-Tseu to Yunnanfu. Gorge AAF-1299: Statue with
halberd. Pagoda of the
between Kouang-Yi and Tong-Hai. Litter
carriers going War God. Yunnan, 1902.
down a stepped road. Yunnan, 1900.
AAF-1278 : Yunnanfu,
1902 : In
the road leading to the North AAF-1222: Kouei-Tcheou
(Guizhou), 1899. Transplanting rice.
gate.
AAF-1221: Kouei-Tcheou
(Guizhou), 1899. Indigenous Yi-Kia AAF-1227: Red River, 1900. On my junk, pole
navigation.
from Cheu-Teou-Tchay, in
a paved courtyard. 1900.
AAF-1255: Yunnanfu, 1902. Small terraced pagoda on the
side AAF-1277: Panorama of
the bridge on the overflow of the lake,
of the Emperor’s hill. near Yunnanfu (Yunnan,
1902).
AAF-1279: In
the vicinity of Yunnanfu, 1902 : Place where the AAF-1289: Group of
independant "Lo-Lo" or Man-Tseu of
Mandarins leaving the province
would bid their goodbyes. Kien-Tchang, taken in the groups marching against the Chinese.
Steles built in honour of
those who helped the people. Lou-Kou region, Upper Yang-Tseu. Sichuan, 1904.
According to rites, their
boots were removed to stop them from
leaving. And these shoes
that they left behind to go and obey
the Emperor’s orders
were hung from these steles in memory.
AAF-1172: Auguste François in a civilian dress sitting beside AAF-1174: Stuck in the rapids. A. François sitting between Joseph
Marshal Su Yuan-Chun. Longzhou, Guangxi - 1897. Beauvais and a French
secretary - Guangxi, 1899.
AAF-1189: Auguste François in uniform sitting with General AAF-1181: Auguste François standing in work clothes with
Su wearing the Mandarin’s winter dress in sable. a panther in his arms. Yunnanfu, 1903.
Yunnanfu, 1903.
AAF-1202: Kouang-Si (Guangxi),
1899. The river police’s AAF-1195:
Kouang-Si (Guangxi), 1899. Yao indigenous
gunboat
escorting my junk. On the right, the captain. steering
wooden rafts to Lo-Ma.
AAF-1257: Yunnanfu, 1902. Paved street running alongside AAF-1250:
From Mong-Tseu to Yunnanfu (1900). South entrance
a pound cultivated
as a ricefield. of Tcheng-Kong-Hien, sub-préfecture in the Yunnanfu plain,
11th
and final leg from the Red River to Man-Hao.
AAF-1287: Young woman from Sseu-Mao
in wedding dress AAF-1288: Three
bonzes from the Kin-Ma-Chan Temple
(face
on). Yunnanfu, 1902. ("Temple of the Golden Horse”). Vicinity
of Longzhou.
Guangxi - 1897.
AAF-1291: Ma-Tou, Man-Tseu from
the "Black bone” caste, AAF-1292:
"Lo-Lo" (Man-Tseu) woman and two young girls
influential chief of the Mien-Chan
region, in war costume. from Kien-Tchang. Sichuan, 1904.
Hei-Li (Sichuan), 1904.
AAF-1217:
Kouei-Tcheou (Guizhou), 1899. Covered bridge in AAF-1251:
From Mong-Tseu to Yunnanfu, 1900. In the
a mountainous
landscape. (Sanhe
?) Yunnanfu
districts.
AAF-1213: Kouang-Si (Guangxi), 1899. Astronomy observation AAF-1168: At the French Residence in Hai-Phong.
A. François
in Lieou-Tcheou-Fou. A.
François, sitting on a chair among (1st
left), Charles Laurent, Auditor at the Treasury, 2 other
servants and curious bystanders, is using
a sextant. Frenchmen
(one holding a monkey on leash), and 2 Chenese
servants. Tonkin, 1887.
AAF-1173: Auguste François sitting in uniform, with his AAF-1192: Kouang-Si
(Guangxi), 1899. The Consul’s junk
Chinese butler,
Tong-To behind him. Yunnanfu, 1900. with its French flag.
AAF-1309: Panorama of Tsin-Tcheou-Fou
- Guangxi, 1899.
AAF-1318: Panorama of the bridge on the
overflow of the lake near Yunnanfu - Yunnan, 1902.
© Association Auguste François
- Paris
Updated: 7th October 2012