The material represented on this web-site was published circa 1893 in a book titled "Famous Scenes and Paintings" by John L. Stoddard. A myriad of similar Stoddard publications appeared at or around the same time, and were distributed throughout the western world - there are so many still in existence that one can assume that Stoddard enjoyed great popularity.
Due to the abundance of Stoddard's printed material in the United States (Stoddard's country of birth), his publications - in a monetary sense - are virtually worthless. Books such as the one partially reproduced on this web-site, have been known to appear on eBay for as little as US $5.
Please note: the web-site owner does not share Stoddard's opinions. The aim of this site is to provide a snapshot of the world in the 19th Century, and moreover, to provide an insight into Western thinking of the time. My apologies to anyone who may be offended by Stoddard's captions or terminology, and should you wish to contact me regarding the expurgation of certain parts of the site, please do so by using the contact form. However, I hope that many readers will instead benefit by gaining an understanding of the 19th Century West's opinions and treatment of the indigenes of countries recently invaded, and be made aware of the racism obviously prevalent at the turn of the century. It is worthwhile noting that Stoddard's writing is as little as three generations old.
