Foot Binding Collection

Rice-straw cloak, wood and straw sandals, Chinese woman's bound foot and boot
FLO4590515 Rice-straw cloak, wood and straw sandals, Chinese woman's bound foot and boot. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon

Form of a Treaty of Marriage in China - from a drawing by a Chinese artist, 1857. Creator: Unknown
Form of a Treaty of Marriage in China - from a drawing by a Chinese artist, 1857. Upon the table is a tablet bearing the names of the contracting parties

Bound feet, China, early 1900s. Date: early 1900s

Amoy Women; The Small Foot of a Chinese Lady; Amoy Men; Male and Female Costume, Amoy, c. 1868. A work made of collotype, pl

A Woman Embroidering, plate 41 from The Costume of China, engraved by J
STC89209 A Woman Embroidering, plate 41 from The Costume of China, engraved by J. Dadley, 1800 (engraving) by Mason, Major George Henry (19th century) (after)

Rice-straw cloak, sandals, Chinese woman s
Rice-straw cloak, wood and straw sandals, Chinese womans bound foot and boot. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Andrea Freschi after Antoine Cardon from Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste Bertin

Chinese Womens Feet (engraving)
1060293 Chinese Womens Feet (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Chinese Womens Feet)

Poster advertising The Living Chinese Family, 1850 (colour litho)
NYH182481 Poster advertising The Living Chinese Family, 1850 (colour litho) by Currier, Nathaniel (1813-88); Collection of the New-York Historical Society

Femme du Lanxchow, 1870s. Creator: Unknown
Femme du Lanxchow, 1870s

Mandarin Wife, 1861-1863. Creator: Milton M. Miller
Mandarin Wife, 1861-1863

Mandarin Wife, 1860-1863. Creator: Milton M. Miller
Mandarin Wife, 1860-1863

Culling Tea, ca. 1869. Creator: Attributed to Lai Fong
Culling Tea, ca. 1869

A high caste ladys dainty lily feet, showing method of deformity, China, 1900. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
A high caste ladys dainty lily feet, showing method of deformity, China, 1900. Shoe worn on great toe only. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Woman with bound feet, China, 19th century. Artist: E Ronjat
Woman with bound feet, China, 19th century

Passenger wheelbarrows, China C014 / 0452
Passenger wheelbarrows, China. Early 20th-century photograph of women in China travelling in passenger wheelbarrows that are being pushed by men

The deliberately crippled feet of an upper class Chinese woman
CHINA: LILY FOOT, c1900. The deliberately crippled feet of an upper class Chinese woman

A lily footed woman of China. Stereograph, c1900
CHINA: LILY FOOT, c1900. A lily footed woman of China. Stereograph, c1900

An x-ray of a lily footed woman of China, c1890-1923
CHINA: LILY FOOT. An x-ray of a lily footed woman of China, c1890-1923

A lily footed woman of China. Stereograph, c1905
CHINA: LILY FOOD, c1905. A lily footed woman of China. Stereograph, c1905

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"Foot Binding: A Painful Tradition of Chinese Women in the Early 1900s" In this captivating black and white photo from c. 1875, we catch a glimpse of the ancient practice known as foot binding. Originating in China, bound feet were considered a symbol of beauty and social status for women during that time. The image showcases Amoy women proudly displaying their small feet, achieved through years of painful manipulation and tight binding. The male counterparts can be seen donning traditional Amoy costumes, highlighting the stark contrast between gender roles in Chinese society. Engraved by J. , plate 41 from "The Costume of China, " offers us a closer look at the intricate artistry involved in foot binding. As depicted here, an elegant woman delicately embroiders while her bound feet are concealed beneath her rice-straw cloak and sandals - a testament to both tradition and sacrifice. Another engraving reveals the extent to which foot binding was practiced among Chinese women. Their deformed feet were seen as objects of desire within society's narrow standards of beauty. An intriguing poster advertising "The Living Chinese Family" in 1850 provides insight into how foot binding was not only accepted but also celebrated during that era. It depicts a woman with bound feet alongside her family members, showcasing this cultural norm without question or criticism. Moving forward, we encounter images such as "Femme du Lanxchow" from the 1870s and portraits like "Mandarin Wife" by Milton M. Miller (1861-1863). These photographs capture moments frozen in time when foot binding remained prevalent despite growing awareness about its detrimental effects on women's health. Lastly, scenes like "Culling Tea" attributed to Lai Fong (ca. 1869) and "Musicians and Flag Bearers in advance of a funeral" by M & N Hanhart (c1860) offer glimpses into everyday life where women with bound feet were an integral part of Chinese society.