Cover of True Record 1, no. 2

Cover of True Record 1, no. 2

Photographer at the edge of forest

The photographer stands at the edge of a forest, his face almost a blurred profile, showing focused attention. The photo doesn't provide a clear object for his gaze, so the emphasis is on the photographer's activity, enhanced by the awkward painting machine in front of him. There's no need for mirrors or enlarged viewfinders to explain the process. Instead, the camera's central position between the photographer and nature highlights photography's root in the direct encounter between the photographer and subject. The cover of "The True Record" introduces a new concept of visual representation in China, where painters and photographers are equally capable and important in capturing truth.

Unknown

Tang Hongfeng (2018). "Uncanny, or 'The Return of the Old Ghosts'—Mirror Images and Optical Illusions in Modern China." Modern China Studies 25 (2): 116–117.

The True Record

1912

The Humanity and Literary Library of the Guangdong Museum of Art

This image is now in the public domain in China because its term of copyright has expired.

https://www.gdmoa.org/english/collection/library/

628 × 893 (93 KB)

Chinese

Painting

The cover of the second issue of the magazine featured a new painter

The claim of photography to truth and the new understanding of visual truth were established in China at the same time. "The True Record" used this painting to showcase a new concept of visual representation in China, where both painters and photographers are equally capable and significant in the effort to capture truth.

Paingting

628 × 893 (93 KB)