Racist art brings fame. "The Heathen Chinee" was once one of the most popular poems in America: "Its sensational popularity made Bret Harte the most celebrated literary man in America in 1870". It's a poem about the innate perfidy of the Chinese, with accompanying illustrations. The poem itself is both derivative and not very good, which argues that its appeal had to do with its subject matter and the accompanying illustrations. It's worth checking out.
| Racism | 1870s |
