Artwork
The church of S. Domingos, Macau; and three figures at a food stall
The church of S. Domingos, Macau; and three figures at a food stall is a drawing by the Romanticist artist George Chinnery. It dates from 12 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This drawing shows Macau’s St. Domingos Church from an angle, plus three people near a steaming food pot. One figure is a boatwoman with a child on her back. George Chinnery made it in 1835 and kept it simple—just pencil on paper.
The church sits off-center, while the crowd adds everyday life. It’s a small sheet, almost a sketchbook page, but full of quick life.
Look up George Chinnery next.
Overview
This 1835 pencil drawing by George Chinnery captures two concurrent scenes on a single sheet: a slightly off-center view of Macau’s St. Domingos Church and a group of three figures gathered around a steaming food stall.
Subject & Meaning
The juxtaposition of the church, a symbol of religious life, with the everyday activity of a food stall, highlights the coexistence of sacred and mundane aspects of Macau’s daily life during the period.
Technique & Style
Executed in simple yet expressive pencil on paper, the drawing’s sketchbook-like quality conveys a sense of immediacy and spontaneity, characteristic of Chinnery’s observational approach.
History & Provenance
Created in 1835 by British artist George Chinnery, the drawing is a firsthand record of Macau’s urban landscape and social dynamics during the early 19th century. Provenance details are not specified in available information.
Context
Part of Chinnery’s oeuvre in Macau, this work reflects his interest in capturing the colonial city’s architecture and the lives of its inhabitants, blending European artistic traditions with Oriental subjects.
Legacy
As a document of Macau’s 19th-century landscape and society, the drawing contributes to the historical and artistic record of the region, offering insights into both the artist’s practice and the era’s cultural exchange.
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.
The street market outside the church of S. Domingos, Macau
The church of S. Francisco, Macau
Houses below the church and college of S. José, Macau
Vendors outside the Church of San Domingos, Macau
San Antonio
The church of S. Domingos, Macau
The church of San Domingos, Macau, seen from behind the precinct wall
Figures eating at a food stall
Waterside houses below Penha Hill, Macau
The church of S. Lazaro, Macau
A stream with a blacksmith beyond, and a distant view of the church of S. Antonio, Macau