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The golden lotus, or the deformation of the foot, (From a Chinese painting) signed by M. Rapine

Fratelli Treves Editori

1900

unspecified

From the collection of Promoter Digital Gallery

Early Modern

Dominant colour

The golden lotus, or the deformation of the foot, (From a Chinese painting) signed by M. Rapine is a 1900 unspecified by Fratelli Treves Editori, held at Promoter Digital Gallery.

Who painted this?: Fratelli Treves Editori
When & what style?: 1900
Where can I see it?: Promoter Digital Gallery

About this work

This engraving shows tiny bound feet next to a golden lotus flower. The artist contrasts beauty with pain. Tiny feet were once prized in China for their small size. This image comes from a 19th-century travel book. It documents foot-binding, a custom that hurt women for centuries. The artist copied photos by John Thomson, a Scottish photographer. This work leads to the Museum of Ethnography.