IRFA’s photographic collection 

The photographic collection of the mission in China is comprised of approximately a hundred boxes. Most of the collection encompases the period between 1878 to 1950 and represents 25 000 pictures, classified into albums, mostly annotated. Those pictures were donated by the MEP missionaries in China, donation that would usually precede the passing or retirement of a missionary.

Albums are classified geographically by provinces, chronologically, and, in the absence of a specific location, by theme. To the extent of the available information, the source of the collection was taken into consideration by taking into acccount the photographer itself. A detailed inventory of each album is available online. The collection is currently in the process of digitalization, less than half of the collection has been digitalized so far.

These pictures provide an illustration to the missionnary activities during the development of the MEP missions, and generaly the presence of the catholic church in China. It gives a face to the missionary priests as well as to local christian communities, chinese priests and the sisters that worked for the mission. On a broader scale, the collection offers a continuous visual documentation of a country shaken by major socio-political events since the 20th century. The missionaries, dispersed through different provinces, document the everyday life of ethnic minorities next  to whom they live. Several trips of missionaries are also photographed, from the moment of their promotion and subsequent departure, to the crosscontinental sailing sprinkled with friendly moments with fellow missionaries or passengers, to their arrival at their assigned missionary location. Each picture captures the experience of each missionary, from culture choc, to the local architecture and social norms, and of course, beautiful landscapes.