A Weight-thrower
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1790
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
A Weight-thrower is a 1790 paint by Puqua, a Patna School of Painting work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a man in a blue robe and white pants, standing on a plain background. He’s holding a long rope tied to a small weight, pulling it back like he’s about to throw it. His face is round, with a calm expression, and he’s wearing simple shoes. The empty space around him makes the action stand out. This kind of simple scene with everyday movement was common in 18th-century Chinese art. Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
A rectangular watercolour painting by Puqua from 1790 depicts a weight-thrower, a figure in the background facing left with arms outstretched to throw a weight on a string. The work is part of a set of 100 paintings illustrating various trades and occupations in Canton. Acquired from Parsons & Sons, it was accessioned in 1898, as recorded in the Asia Department registers during a 2022 provenance research project.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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