Photographs taken by Felice Beato during the Wuntho Rebellion in Burma

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Reference	2003/001/001
Archive collection	British Empire & Commonwealth
Level of description	Collection
Date	1891-1892
Description	This album shows the Burma military campaigns of 1891/1892 taken by the official photographer Felice Beato, who escorted the army. There are photographs covering the Wuntho and Kachen Hills Expeditions. These include several shots of General Wolseley and photographs of local villages and their inhabitants. This catalogue was produced with support from the National Cataloguing Grants Programme for Archives.
Extent and medium	3 boxes containing 52 photographs, extracted from 1 volume
Creator	Felice Beato
Biographical history	Felice Beato (1832–1909), also known as Felix Beato, was an Italian–British photographer. He was one of the first people to take photographs in East Asia and one of the first war photographers. He is noted for his genre works, portraits, and views and panoramas of the architecture and landscapes of Asia and the Mediterranean region. Beato's travels gave him the opportunity to create images of countries, people, and events that were unfamiliar and remote to most people in Europe and North America. His work provides images of such events as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the Second Opium War, and represents the first substantial example of photojournalism. He had an impact on other photographers, and his influence in Japan, where he taught and worked with numerous other photographers and artists, was particularly deep and lasting. Felice Beato arrived in Burma in late 1886, after Upper Burma had been annexed by the British. Beato, who had covered military operations in India and China, was probably attracted by the news of the annexation. While he arrived in Burma after the main military operations ended, he would still get to see more of the action, as the annexation by the British led to an insurgency which lasted for the following decade, such as the Wuntho rebellion. Wuntho rebelled in 1891 but the British quelled the uprising. As a consequence a force of 1,800 British soldiers under General Sir George Wolseley occupied the town of Wuntho. It seems likely that Beato was the official photographer covering the military operation. Felice Beato set up a photographic studio in Mandalay which became very successful.
Access status	Open
Access conditions	none
Physical and technical	sepia Photograph album of yellow felt cover with red leather spine and corners. All photographs have been removed, conserved, and stored separately in 3 boxes.

Group photograph including the Saopha of Wuntha's wife The Royal Artillery in Sagaing The Morgandine Pass British and Indian soldiers in Burma Portrait of a Burmese woman Burmese rebels surrender at Wuntho The Morgandine Pass The Second Devonshire Regiment of the British Army, led by Captain Davies The Second Devonshire Regiment of the British Army, led by Captain Davies The Kyaing-Kwintaung stockade following its capture Assault on Kyaing-Kwintaung Capture of Kyaing-Kwintaung The Shwebo Battalion of Military Police Transporting bamboo at Wuntho Assault on Pinlebu British Army officers in Wuntho General Wolseley inspects troops British Army officers in Wuntho General Wolseley at Kyaing-Kwintaung Wuntho after its capture Civil Officers at Wuntho Indian officers from the Ye-U Battalion of Military Police An audience at Wuntho Palace The Royal Artillery at Wuntho Arrival of Commissariat carts Wuntho Palace and the 'Pon-gyi kyaung' An empty road in Wuntho The palace at Wuntho Stone 'zeidis' at Wuntho Wolseley and Smyth at Wuntho Practising a shooting stance Wolseley and Smyth follow a scout Stone 'zeidis' at Wuntho Deserted shrine at Wuntho View of Wuntho, Burma View of Wuntho, Burma Guard house on the Morgandine Pass Soldiers at a deserted shrine British Army camp at Sin-gon Street scene in Wuntho Village at the Morgandine Pass The 'Pon-gyi kyaunga' at Wuntho The Oxfordshire Light Infantry at Wuntho Soldiers visit a Burmese village Stockade built by Lieutenant Chapman An outdoor bazaar at Wuntho The road into Youngma A military expedition in Burma Three Burmese girls at Wuntho Ferries on the Ayeyarwady River Boats on the Ayeyarwady River View of the Ayeyarwady River