China on the Shannon

The Wellcome Library's exhibition of photographs of China taken by John Thomson between 1869 and 1872 is currently on show at The Hunt Museum in Limerick, Ireland.

The Hunt Museum is named after John and Gertrude Hunt who presented their collection of mainly European works of art to be displayed to the public in Ireland. Their collection is housed in the 18th-century Customs House overlooking the river Shannon. The Customs House in Limerick, like its equivalents in London, Dublin, and Venice, was designed to impress by its authority and by its superb situation: facing the city one way and the river the other. On the river side, the building has Chinoiserie reliefs between its neoclassical pilasters.

The exhibition, China through the lens of John Thomson, is on show until 2 December 2012, open every day, admission free. In addition to the exhibition, the permanent collection of The Hunt Museum is well worth seeing, and there are other historic sites in Limerick to visit, including the mediaeval Castle and Cathedral.

Below, the opening of the exhibition by Mme Wang Ya Nan (left), shown with Dr Hugh Maguire, Director of The Hunt Museum, and Betty Yao M.B.E., the curator of the exhibition.