In the history of photography in China, the master photographer Long Chin-san, famous for his composite photography of Chinese landscape, is undoubtedly the artist who best typifies the genre. Throughout his life, Mr. Long devoted himself to the promotion of
Chinese culture through photography. He is generally recognized as the Father of Asian Photography.
 

In 1926, Long went to Shanghai to work in the Shi-bao newspaper as one of the first photojournalists in China. In the flamboyant environment of Shanghai, Long captured images of people from all walks of life. In 1937, he moved his family to Sichuan because of the coming Sino-Japanese war. As famous people gathered in Sichuan at that time, Long t to know a great many of them and took some historic photos of them. After he moved to Taiwan in 1949, his artistic influences widened from photography to cover the entire artistic field. From the exhibits of this exhibition, we see how Long’s camera captured important figures from political, commercial, social, and cultural circles. Through these photographic works he established himself as a paran in the artistic world.

Among the photographic files of Long Chin-san there is a group of portrait photos never published during his lifetime. Some of these portraits taken in Taipei in the early 1950s were of his acquaintances. These portraits show Long’s emotional connection to these figures. The remaining portraits are of celebrities and dignitaries in political, military, cultural and educational circles. These big names bore witness to the turmoil and dramatic change of their epoch.

Besides the traditional subject of portrait photos, Long also took common folk in Taiwan as his subject. His composite photography on the subject of common folk can be regarded as a new interpretation of the traditional idea of celebrity. These people, though small in stature, embody a wide universe. These works are not only highly artistic but also have great historical values as historical documents concerning the customs and lives of people in Taiwan. Of course, Long also broke with social decorum by taking photos of the female nude. These photographic works are elegant in composition and set new trends in artistic circles. We must pay tribute to the subjects of these works.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National Museum of History and in memory of the 20th anniversary of Long Chin-san’s passing, we are organize this exhibition in conjunction with the Long Chin-san Art & Cultural Development Association. We would like to express our appreciation to Ms. Long Yu-wen, daughter of Master Long, for her efforts in selecting the exhibits from thousands of photographic works. We hope the particular symbolic significance of these celebrities of the nation can provide some insights on the “masters” of Taiwan of the last century.