Image of a Chinese Bagnio (Bath House) in San Francisco

Image of a Chinese Bagnio (Bath House) in San Francisco

Chinese immigrants
Prostitution
Bath House
Brothel
Poverty
Photography
San Francisco
California

This black and white photo of a “bagnio” shows the conditions those working in Chinese Brothel Houses dealt with. The portrait photo depicts a bath house in Chinatown, San Francisco. Prostitution at the time was popular but it was not an easy occupation. The simple building and broken pavement suggests the poverty in which the bath house is situated in. Bath houses and brothels were set up because of the vast numbers of Chinese men immigrating to California in comparison to the number of women. Therefore, many of the workers were trafficked and placed in areas of Chinatown were there would be a high number of Chinese men. The women are dressed non-provocatively but look sad and slightly distressed, contributing to the poverty-stricken setting.

Martin Behrman “Behrman’s Collection/Taber”

San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection, San Francisco Public Library

http://sflib1.sfpl.org:82/search?/X%22barbary%22+prostitutes
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1870

Sarah Smith

San Francisco Public Library, San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection

English

Visual - photograph

19th century California