Burmese cigar makers. 1890, attributed to Philip Klier.
Original Mandalay palace. 1880, photographer unknown.
A sampled collection of albumens pertaining to Myanmar, formerly Burma. This particular gallery consists mostly of images taken by unknown photographers, as well as photographers who are known to have been expat residents in the country. In this gallery, one can view images taken by Felice Beato, one of the first war photographers who lived in Myanmar and owned a portrait studio, as well as the German photographer, Philip Klier.
My collection is much more broad than this gallery of albumens. It consists of original photographs taken by local Burmese photographers, British military generals, diplomats wives, as well as foreign photojournalists who have lived in Burma during the 19th, 20th, and 21st century.
As a collector of Burmese imagery, I am particularly intrigued by original images that contain pertinent individuals who have been relevant to the country's historical and political development. What started as a collection focused on early Burmese photography has turned into a portrait of the country's history and development. The expansiveness of the collection encompasses everyday citizens, expats, local and colonial military regimes, militias, as well as Burmese political leaders.
Bethanie Mitchell
Bethanie Mitchell is a Seattle based documentary photographer and journalist covering global and domestic issues.