China's Hidden Century 1796-1912

Exhibition at the British Museum, London, 18 May - 8 October 2023

Between 1796 and 1912, Qing China experienced numerous civil uprisings and foreign wars. The revolution ended some 2,000 years of dynastic rule and gave birth to a modern Chinese republic. This period of violence and turmoil was also marked by extraordinary creativity, stimulated by political, cultural and technological changes.

This exhibition catalogue explores life in 19th century China through art, fashion, newspapers, furniture and even soup ingredients. It also highlights the lives of individuals - an empress, a dancer, a soldier, an artist, a housewife, a merchant and a diplomat.

The resilience and innovation of 19th-century China is revealed through the new art forms, such as photography and lithographic printing, that developed during this period, and through the technology and transport - the telegraph, electricity, railways - that transformed society.