Mandarin's Boat
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1810
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Dominant colour
Mandarin's Boat is a 1810 paint by Unknown, a Patna School of Painting work, depicting Water Transport, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This painting shows a small boat on a river, with a banner reading 'The Guangdong Maritime Customs'. The boat is one of many depicted in a set of 50 paintings, showing the different types of boats on the Pearl River. These paintings were made as souvenirs, giving a glimpse into life on the river. To learn more about this style of painting, look into the technique of chiaroscuro.
This rectangular painting depicts a long boat with a cross mast bearing a square flag and two triangular flags at the stern, rendered in muted tones. It is part of a set of 50 images illustrating the varied boats on the Pearl River, with a banner reading "The Guangdong Maritime Customs." Originally part of a folio, the sheets were numbered 8655:1 to 51, with the final page listing the images. Such works were produced in quantity as souvenirs.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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