Artwork
Chinese figures, soldiers, and details of hands
Chinese figures, soldiers, and details of hands is a drawing by the Romanticist artist George Chinnery. It dates from 10 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This drawing comprises multiple sketches of everyday scenes and figures from mid-19th century Macau, including Chinese civilians, Portuguese garrison soldiers, a Macanese woman with her servant, and detailed renderings of hands engaged in various actions.
Subject & Meaning
The subject matter reflects the artist's observation of daily life in Macau, capturing interactions, postures, and occupations of its diverse inhabitants, with a focus on mundane, unposed moments.
Technique & Style
Executed in a quick and lively manner, the sketches convey a sense of motion and immediacy, characteristic of the artist's approach to capturing the essence of observed scenes.
History & Provenance
Created in the 1840s by George Chinnery, the drawing is part of his body of work documenting life in Macau during this period. Its current location is not specified here, but similar works can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
George Chinnery (Chinese: 錢納利; 5 January 1774 – 30 May 1852) was an English painter who spent most of his life in Asia, especially India and southern China.
- Drawings of a group of Chinese men, clasped hands, and a hand holding paper
Two drawings of Chinese figures
Chinese figures and a Tanka boat
The hands of a Chinese figure holding a line or pipe
A group of three Chinese men, and a study of a hand
Chinese figures and cattle
A crowded food stall, and of hands holding a bowl and a pole
Chinese men surrounding a basket
The hands of a Chinese man holding a line