The Photo Times: His images also include a panoramic view of Hong Kong harbour, the Forbidden ...

Pictures taken by Felice Beato, who travelled with British Army during Indian Rebellion and Second Opium War

Mr Beato captured Imperial Summer Palace in Beijing before it was destroyed by fire by Empire forces in 1860

His images also include a panoramic view of Hong Kong harbour, the Forbidden City in Peking and a pagoda

Some 68 prints made into album that he sold to Captain Roderick Dew, who led British during Taiping Rebellion

Shortly afterwards, Mr Beato’s studio in Yokohama, Japan, was destroyed in a fire along with original negatives

By

Mark Duell

PUBLISHED:

10:29, 8 January 2014

|
UPDATED:

14:16, 8 January 2014

A wonderful set of photographs taken in China and Japan which gave the Western world one of its first glimpses of the Far East is going for auction.

And one particular image of Chinese corpses at North Fort in Peiho in 1860 has presented a stark reminder of the Second Opium War.

The North Fort was one of several Taku Forts – strategically-placed defences in China that guarded the mouth of the Peiho River.

The fort, which was located near

modern-day Tianjin, was breached on August 20, 1860 and its garrison

surrendered after a fierce fight.

Grim war images: Portraits of dead men. Renowned photographer Felice Beato took pictures as he travelled with the British Army

The

battlements and cannons are seen surrounded by Chinese corpses,

following the fortâ€™s capture by the English and French armies.

The

opium wars were the climax of trade disputes between China and the

British Empire over Chinese attempts to restrict British opium

trafficking.

China was defeated in both the First Opium War, from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860.

The

set of pictures were taken by Felice Beato, who travelled with the

British Army during the Indian Rebellion and the Second Opium War in

China.

Renowned photographer

Mr Beato captured the Imperial Summer Palace in Beijing before it was

destroyed by fire by Empire forces in 1860.

Life: This image of Gan Kiro, Yokohama, is in a set of photographs taken in China and Japan which showed the western world what the Far East looked like

Canal: Yokohama. The pictures were taken by Felice Beato, who travelled with the British Army during the Indian Rebellion and the Second Opium War in China

Statue: Dai Butsu, Yokohama. Some 68 prints taken from the original negatives were made into an album that Mr Beato sold to Captain Roderick Dew

Jail time: Chinese Prison. The album has remained in the Dew family for the last 150 years and has served as a record of the Captain

Jail time: Chinese Prison. The album has remained in the Dew family for the last 150 years and has served as a record of the Captain’s service in China and Japan

His images also include a panorama

view of Hong Kong harbour, the Forbidden City in Peking, a pagoda and

scenes of slain Chinese soldiers at a fort.

Some

68 prints from the negatives were made into an album he sold to Captain

Roderick Dew, who led the British during the Taiping Rebellion in 1862.

Mr

Beato’s studio in Yokohama, Japan, was destroyed in a fire soon after

along with the original negatives, making Cpt Dew’s prints more

valuable.

The album has remained in the Dew family for the last 150 years and has served as a record of his service in China and Japan.

Portrait: Representatives of the US, England and France – from left, Gustave Duchese, Prince de Bellacourt; Cpt Roderick Dew; Col James; Col Hooper; Col Edward St. John Neale; US Minister

Tiered tower: Pagoda near Tungchan. The photos are going under the hammer at Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne, Somerset, and could fetch up to Â£70,000

Early days: Cemetery near Pekin. The auctioneers said the photo album is

Early days: Cemetery near Peking. The auctioneers said the photo album is

‘one of the most extensive and historically significant to appear on

the market in many years’

Impressive buildings of the ancient world: Emperor

Impressive buildings of the ancient world: Emperor’s Palace. The album

contains 68 individual prints and is expected to fetch up to Â£70,000 on

January 31

Rare photograph: Mr Beato captured the Imperial Summer Palace in Beijing before it was destroyed by fire by Empire forces in 1860

Defences: Cavalier of North Fort, Peiho. His images also include a panorama view of Hong Kong harbour and the Forbidden City in Peking

But it is now going under the hammer on January 31 at Lawrences Auctioneers of Crewkerne, Somerset, and is expected to fetch up to Â£70,000.

Robert Ansell, of Lawrences, said: â€˜This album is one of the most extensive and historically significant to appear on the market in many years.

â€˜It is also one of the earliest recorded from the studio of Felice Beato in Yokohama, widely regarded as an important pioneer of photography in the Far East.

â€˜The album contains 68 individual prints that are amongst the earliest photographs that record both China and Japan.

Wide view: The Tycoons Palace in Yedo, which is a folding two-print panorama photograph taken by renowned photographer Mr Beato

Crossing the water: Bridge Palu. Mr Beato

Crossing the water: Bridge Palu. Mr Beato’s photography studio in Japan was destroyed by fire in 1866, but this album predates that

Looking around: Interior of North Fort, Peiho. The folding panoramas of views gave many people in the Western world a first glimpse inside the Far East

Age-old photos: Panorama of Hong Kong. The photographer

Age-old photos: Panorama of Hong Kong. The photographer’s images also include the Forbidden City and a pagoda

Taking a break: Pehtang Fort in China. The selection of photographs also includes 11 folding panoramic views

â€˜It includes 11 folding panoramas of views, and a portrait by Felice Beato of Capt Dew with representatives of American, French and British forces.â€™

Cpt Dew, who lived from 1823 to 1869, was also known for his important role in the attack on the Taku Forts during the Second Opium War in 1859.

At the time Cpt Dew was the Commander of HMS Nimrod, and described the attack in a personal letter to an unknown recipient.

It said: â€˜We had to steam some distance before our guns would bear and then six shells plumped right into the Southern forts and exploded.

â€˜I saw the poor devils carried out in a fearful state – many naked and quite blackâ€¦ the huge brass guns tumbled about.’