Angle of North Taku Fort at Which the French Entered, August 21st
Felice Beato
Italian, 1825–1903
1860
An albumen silver print by Felice Beato that documents the breached angle of the North Taku Fort after the French assault of August 21, 1860, made to record and authenticate a moment of military action.
At first glance the image feels stark and still — a high, pockmarked earthen wall dominates the frame, ladders lean like exposed bones and rows of sharpened stakes give the scene a quiet, recent violence.
As an early example of war photography in East Asia, Beato’s image helped establish photography as a means of documentary evidence and shaped Western visual understanding of 19th‑century imperial campaigns.
Medium
Albumen silver print
Dimensions
9 5/8 × 11 3/4" (24.6 × 29.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of Jon Hendricks
Accession
30.1986
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
