Common Salt Junk
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
The painting shows a salt junk boat floating on a busy river. Its wooden hull is dark against the lighter water. A small Chinese flag flutters from the stern. You can see nets and barrels stacked on deck. These boats carried salt between towns in Guangdong. The Pearl River was always crowded with vessels like this. People bought these paintings as cheap souvenirs back in the early 1800s. Try looking up more Chinese export art at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
