施德之个人肖像  

名称: Cart Pusher /推车人
类别: Albumen Print/蛋清照片 
日期: 1890s-1900s
尺寸: 22x26cm 

Yaohua Photographic Studio (1894-1944) was founded by Star Talbot, better known in Shanghai as Shi Dezhi, a man whose life was marked by extraordinary turns. Having first made his fortune with the popular medicinal concoction known as Shi Dezhi’s Elixir, he later invested heavily in antique collecting and art publishing. In 1891, he purchased a photography studio originally established by a German owner and renamed it “Yaohua.” Shi’s work was especially innovative in his use of lighting, moving beyond the flat illumination typical of Chinese photographers of the time. His portraits displayed striking clarity and depth, attracting a steady clientele. In 1900, photographs from Yaohua won recognition at the Paris Exposition Universelle, making it the only Chinese studio of the late Qing to receive such an honor, and securing its place in international photographic history.

上海耀华照相馆（Yaohua Photographic Studio, 1894-1944）由施德之（本名斯塔·塔尔博特，Star Talbot）创立，他的一生极为传奇。早年以“施德之神功济品水”药剂发迹，积累财富后转而热衷古董收藏与艺术出版。1891年，他购得由德国人设立的照相馆，并改名“耀华照相馆”。施德之在摄影技法上极具开创性，尤其在光线运用方面突破了当时中国摄影师惯用的平光照明，他的人像作品形象鲜明、层次分明，吸引了大量顾客。1900年巴黎世博会，耀华照相馆的作品荣获奖项，成为清末中国唯一在世博会上获奖的照相馆，标志着其艺术成就获得国际认可。

Equally remarkable was Shi’s management style. He was bold in advertising and frequently introduced novel services. For female clients—often reluctant to be photographed due to social conventions—Yaohua promised to return glass negatives, even offering home visits, thus easing concerns about privacy. In 1905, he opened a separate “Yaohua West Studio,” dedicated to women’s portraits, a forward-looking move in Shanghai’s conservative society. At its height, Yaohua was the training ground for future masters, including Wang Zhekao, who later founded the famous Wang Kai Studio.

The artistic significance of Yaohua lies in its combination of technical innovation, sensitive portraiture, and modern business strategy, which helped shape the trajectory of Chinese photography. Today, surviving works and publications of Yaohua are preserved in institutions such as the Shanghai History Museum, the Shanghai Library, and several overseas collections, serving as invaluable resources for the study of photography, urban culture, and social life in late Qing and Republican China. 

在经营上，施德之大胆创新，频繁投放广告并推出贴心服务，尤其针对女性顾客推出“玻璃底送还”，甚至开设专门的“耀华西号”拍摄闺阁肖像，这在当时具有突破性。其作品不仅反映了上海都市文化的繁荣，也折射出晚清社会转型期的时代气息。

耀华照相馆的艺术价值在于将写实的人像摄影与商业化运作相结合，推动了中国近代摄影的发展。其摄影作品和出版物现被上海历史博物馆、上海图书馆及部分海外机构收藏，作为研究中国摄影史、都市文化史和社会风俗的重要资料，具有极高的学术与艺术价值。  >>返回>>