Dongguan Boat
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Dongguan Boat is a 1810 paint by Unknown, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a Dongguan cargo boat on the East River. It's carrying goods between a village and Canton. The boat is surrounded by other vessels, giving a sense of a busy river. This painting is one of many that were made to show the different types of boats on the Pearl River. These paintings were sold as souvenirs to people visiting the area. To learn more about how artists used shading to create depth in scenes like this, look up the technique: chiaroscuro.
This rectangular painting depicts a Dongguan cargo boat, a type commonly used along the Pearl River between the village and Canton. The vessel is enclosed by three curved panels, with the third panel raised higher than the others, and features a tall mast at the bow. Originally part of a set of 50 images, this work was mass-produced as a souvenir item. Lord George Macartney’s description of the Canton River highlights the dense and constant habitation of boats of all sizes.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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