A Puppet Show
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
A Puppet Show is a 1790 paint by Puqua, a Patna School of Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a crowded puppet stage with bright colors. The crowd watches a show with puppets on strings. The background has tall buildings and a Chinese arch. These pictures were made for Europeans curious about China. They show daily life in Canton around 1790. The artist painted 100 scenes like this one. Check out more works by the artist Puqua.
Rectangular watercolor painting titled *A Puppet Show* by Puqua, dated 1790. The scene depicts a puppet performance, with central figures in beige and red observing an intricately carved puppet theater supported by a pair of human legs clad in blue trousers. The work is part of a set of 100 paintings illustrating trades and occupations in Canton, created for European audiences seeking information about China and its people. Acquired from Parsons & Sons, it was accessioned in 1898 as part of the museum’s holdings.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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