Auguste Mouillesaux de Bernières was born in Nièvre on May 26, 1848, he joined the customs service in 1867, where he spent his entire career. In 1885, he became director of the Chinese Imperial Customs Service in Kouang-Si, Lung-Tchéou. An amateur photographer (he was also a draughtsman and watercolourist), he took many photographs, as did his wife, but he also collected professional photographs, such as those of Beato on Japan. Most of his artistic work relating to China was donated by their daughter to the Geographical Society in 1930. A decree dated July 18, 1874 authorized Auguste Mouillesaux to add de Bernières to his surname and to be known in future as Mouillesaux de Bernières.