MAO ZEDONG, LIN BIAO, AND SOLDIERS PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPH
Very large panoramic photograph, 76" x 11" b/w, a formal group portrait depicting a large group of Chinese soldiers, sailors, and governmental officials. Seated in the front row at the center of the image is MAO ZEDONG (1893-1976), surrounded by several other top ranking officials, including PENG DEHUAI (1898-1974) China's Defense Minister from 1954 to 1959; ZHU DE (1886-1976), head of state from 1975-1976 as chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress; ZHOU ENLAI (1898-1976), first Premier of the People's Republic of China; and LIN BIAO (1907-1971), Minister of National Defense and Marshal of the People's Republic of China, who died mysteriously in a plane crash following what was officially described as a botched coup against Mao. Interestingly, the faces of four senior leaders, including Lin and Peng, have been artificially added to the image in the darkroom. A title in Chinese characters appears at the top of the image. Some soiling, else very good. From a single collection obtained entirely in China pre-2000.