Travel & conflict

Felice Beato

1832–1909 · Italy / United Kingdom / Japan

The beginnings of conflict and travel photography.

View of the Tokaido Road
Felice Beato
https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/109BCK
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

The story

Felice Beato worked in Asia during the nineteenth century, photographing conflicts, cities, monuments and portraits. Based in Japan, he contributed to the production of albums for an international clientele, sometimes using hand-coloured prints. His work needs to be placed within the commercial and imperial relationships of its time. The albums combine observation, staging and the construction of an imagined world of travel.

Understanding the work

Distinguish views made on location from studio portraits. Examine the addition of colour and the way captions classify people or places.

Key works and series

Views of China; Japanese albums; hand-coloured portraits and scenes.

Sources & further exploration

A journey through images.

9 works

Click an image to enlarge it. Captions, collections and reuse conditions appear below each work. Captions describe the photographs; the source records retain catalogue titles and provide context.

View of the Tokaido Road
Felice Beato
https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/109BCK
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

Travelling Merchant
Felice Beato
https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/107T4Y
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

[View of Hong Kong]
Felice Beato · March 1860
xAGY_FkUgo_etQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

[Morec Bastion]
Felice Beato · 1858
3gHQAkn_jKr5JA at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

[Interior of the Angle of Taku North Fort]
Felice Beato · August 21, 1860
ygHjtkghwW4J0A at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

Portrait of Lord Elgin, Plenipotentiary and Ambassador, Who Signed the Treaty
Felice Beato · November 2, 1860
2wGAjKJy6nwfFQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

[Headquarter House, 1st Division, Pehtang, China, August 1, 1860]
Felice Beato · August - October 1860
YAEwLQWGiE1DcQ at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

[Stone Bridge and the New Fortifications, Lucknow]
Felice Beato · 1858
MwF8gTUfbN2Gkw at Google Cultural Institute maximum zoom level
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

Major Desborough
Felice Beato · 1858-1860
https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/109BE7
Public domain · Reuse conditions · Artwork record

Works in collections.

10 records

Photographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.