Shanghai Harbor c. 1930s

Thomas Schofield Handforth made this sketch of Shanghai Harbor on paper sometime in the first half of the 20th century. The drawing depicts a busy port scene, with a variety of boats and figures going about their work. It hints at the enormous flows of goods and people that made Shanghai one of the world's great cosmopolitan cities. Looking closely, the image reveals a great deal about the global economy in the early 20th century. We see both traditional Chinese junks and more modern steamships, suggesting a moment of transition between old and new technologies. The barrels in the boats indicate a trading relationship with the West, and the figures are dressed in a mix of Western and Chinese clothing. To understand this image fully, we might delve into the history of Shanghai as a treaty port, opened to foreign trade and influence in the mid-19th century. Examining photographs and documents from the period would allow us to see how this unique international status shaped the city's culture, economy, and social structure. In doing so, we can come to appreciate the complex meanings embedded in Handforth's sketch.