Page 138 - Made For Trade Chinese Export Paintings In Dutch Collections

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export gouaches with the same subject matter,
painted by Puqua at the end of the eighteenth
century (circa 1786 and 1790). It is possible that
the Cantonese export painters were inspired by
prints of the etchings showing street professions
in London and Venice, brought by Western
sailors or artists who spent some time in this
city. I posit that the topic ‘street professions’ did
not originate only in the West and argue that
Chinese export painters had various sources of
inspiration with which to ‘play’ freely. Besides 137
the street professions of Canton, this may have
included particular images in order to conform
Figs. 4.44.a. and b.
to the expectations of European buyers. An
Scenes from daily life,
excellent example of this is the previously
street peddlers (from
mentioned Chinese series of Royer albums
album with 10 images),
featuring professions, peddlers and the
anonymous,
aboriginal people of the southern Chinese watercolour on pith
provinces. 81 Van Campen’s research
paper, 19th century,
demonstrates that although the Royer albums
19 x 26 cm, Museum
featuring professions, in the collection of Leiden
Volkenkunde/
Museum Volkenkunde, are similar to the well-
Nationaal Museum
known engravings by the Englishman George
van Wereldculturen,
Henry Mason, entitled ‘Pu-Qua, Canton, Delin’
inv.nos. RV-1239-380d
and based on illustrations that he had bought in
and RV-1239-380i.
Canton in 1790, the albums do not contain a
single image that corresponds to the engravings. 82
performers, and local vessels. Foreign visitors, Furthermore, we can assume, also because the
passing through on their travels in ‘the East’, handwritten Latin and Chinese notes on each
witnessed such scenes of daily life frequently; at album page make it clear, that this early series
the same time, such images were a world away can be dated to the years 1773-1776. 83 With
from their lives back home. 22 albums consisting of, in total, 610 images,
the entire set of Royer albums surpasses the
- Professions, peddlers and street performers American and English collections, not only in its
The Chinese saying, ‘There are 360 professions, uniqueness of execution (distinct colour-use and
each produces its own consummate master’ (sān detailed rendition), in their antecedence and
băi liù shí háng, háng chū zhuàng yuán) is an their earliness of production, but also in number.
idiom relating to the plethora of diverse street (Figures 4.45. to 4.47.)
professions in Chinese cities and to the idea that With regard to their trade, it is thought the
each profession (field) has a most brilliantly painters in Canton were well aware that
talented person. 79 In circa 1830, the famous Westerners were curious about what the
Cantonese export painter Tingqua, who ran a ordinary Chinese did for a living. Albums and
Figs. 4.42.a. and b.
successfull painting business in the 1830s, sheets with this subject matter (daily business of
Reprints of lithographs
portrayed 360 street professions of Canton in a ordinary men and women) sold like hot cakes. after Dong Qi,
series of ink drawings. 80 The set that contains Some scholars, like Wilson, argue that these
vegetable seller and
these drawings is now in the Peabody Essex representations of the working class had to
butcher from Taiping
Museum in Salem. Also in their possession, and portray a peaceful society, a society that could huanle tu, pictures by
in that of London’s V&A, is a set featuring 100 only exist under an enlightened emperor. 84
Dong Qi, text edited by
Xu Zhihao. Shanghai:
---
Xuelin chubanshe,
79 Huang & Sargent (eds.) 1999, 13. The words zhuàng yuán also refer to someone who scored the highest rank of
2003, 38 and 72.
the Chinese Imperial examination system.
80 Huang & Sargent (eds.) 1999.
81 Inv.nos. 360-377a to 377j and 360-378a to 378l. Van Campen 2010, 38-54.
82 Van Campen 2010, 42.
83 Van Campen 2000-1, 77-79. In 1773-1776, Royer had contact with the Chinese Carolus Wang, whose
handwriting of the Latin translation is clearly recognisable in the albums.
84 Wilson 2000, 90.