Dao ba zi
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Dao ba zi is a 1810 paint by Unknown, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This sketch shows a long, narrow boat floating on calm water. Inside, two people sit near the back, one holding a pole. The boat is loaded with three large, woven baskets stacked in the middle, covered with a cloth. The water is barely rippled, and the whole scene feels quiet and still. The baskets look like they might hold fish or other goods—maybe something caught or traded. The artist kept the colors simple, focusing on the shapes and the boat’s simple design. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more works like this.
A rectangular painting in muted tones depicts a boat with upturned ends and a central circular cabin, suggesting a ferry operating at night. Originally part of a folio of 50 sheets illustrating various boats on the Pearl River, this work was one of many mass-produced as souvenir items. The series, now dispersed, was numbered 8655:1 to 51, with the final sheet listing the included images. Lord George Macartney’s observations on the crowded Canton River further contextualize the scene.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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