Artwork
Two drawings of groups of Chinese figures
Two drawings of groups of Chinese figures 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
Check out George Chinnery’s other China sketches at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
George Chinnery made two quick sketches of Chinese men in 1846. One is a fast pencil drawing of four men. The other fills in five men with ink and shows a basket of food on the ground.
He used two styles in one piece: loose pencil lines and careful ink shading. On the back, he drew the entrance to a convent in Macau.
Check out George Chinnery’s other China sketches at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Overview
In 1846 the British artist George Chinnery produced a double-sided sheet containing two complementary studies of Chinese figures. One side presents a swift pencil rendering of four men, while the opposite side displays an ink drawing of five men accompanied by a basket of produce placed on a street.
Subject & Meaning
Both sketches capture everyday street scenes, focusing on groups of Chinese laborers or merchants. The inclusion of a basket of goods suggests a moment of trade or market activity, offering insight into daily life and social interaction in mid‑19th‑century China.
Technique & Style
Chinnery juxtaposes two media: a loose, gestural pencil approach on the first drawing, and a more controlled ink application on the second, where shading defines form and texture. This contrast highlights his ability to render figures quickly while also achieving a degree of detail through ink.
History & Provenance
The sheet also bears a reverse sketch of the entrance to the Santa Clara convent in Macau, indicating Chinnery’s broader interest in the region’s architecture. The work is part of the artist’s extensive visual record of China and is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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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.
- Two drawings of a group of Chinese figures
Chinese figures
A group of six Chinese figures
Seated Chinese men
A group of three Chinese men, and a study of a hand
Chinese card-players and other figures
Chinese figures around a basket
Vendors outside the Church of San Domingos, Macau
A group of Chinese figures at a street corner
Chinese figures at a food stall