A Pancake Seller
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
A Pancake Seller is a 1790 paint by Puqua, a Patna School of Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a person kneeling at a low wooden table, mixing something in a large black bowl. Stacks of round white pancakes sit nearby, along with baskets and a bamboo mat. The scene feels simple but busy, with light and shadow adding depth to the wood and fabrics. Notice how the artist uses light to make the pancakes look almost glowing against the dark bowl. The way the person’s hands move suggests they’re working fast, maybe for a market. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see this painting in person.
The artwork is a rectangular watercolour painting from 1790 titled *A Pancake Seller* by Puqua, depicting a central figure in red standing behind a long wooden table equipped for pancake-making. It is part of a series of 100 works illustrating various trades and occupations in Canton. The piece was acquired from Parsons & Sons and entered the collection in 1898, as documented in the Asia Department registers during a 2022 provenance research project.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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