Page 186 - Made For Trade Chinese Export Paintings In Dutch Collections

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of St. Lorenzo – without the two square towers, Pagina 57 Canton
which were not added until 1846. 53 Site of the foreign factories
The island of Whampoa is situated around a
hundred kilometres to the north of Macao and Whampoa Anchorage
fifteen kilometres south of Canton. On the View
of Whampoa Anchorage, we see large Western Bocca Tigris
ocean-going vessels bound for Canton, anchored
Entrance of the
in a specially built anchorage off this island for Pearl River
several months every year. The flags on the
sterns are good distinguishing marks in terms of
determining where the ships came from. Eight Hong Kong 185
English, two Danish, one Swedish, two French
(white flag) and four Dutch vessels lie at anchor
Fig. 5.20. Map of the
with hoisted topmasts and pennants flying.
Macao Pearl River Delta.
(Figure 5.22) Other pennants indicate that there
are three more ships behind the hill with the
graves. From left to right, a Dutch, a Swedish
and a Danish flag show just above the hill. All
Fig. 5.21. View of Macao
the vessels have their mainmasts lowered. These
(detail), anonymous,
were struck so that the ships anchored there for
oil on paper, laid down
months could not sail away without notice.
on canvas, c. 1773,
In the trading season, the Western trading
52 x 76 cm,
companies rented two- or three-storey
Rijksmuseum
mercantile houses and places of residence as
Amsterdam,
their trading posts. In the period of the historical
inv.no. SK-C-1722.
Canton trade system (1757-1842), the Chinese
authorities, which confined all foreign maritime
trade to Canton at that time, kept a close eye on
the Westerners to ensure that they only stayed in
and around their hongs and did not go into the
town. They were built on a special quay beside Fig. 5.22. View of
the Pearl River outside the high walls that Whampoa Anchorage
surrounded Canton. The View of the Quay of (detail), anonymous,
Canton shows the Pearl River with various boats oil on paper, laid down
and the quay with seventeen Western and on canvas, c. 1773,
Chinese hongs. The flags outlined against the 52 x 76 cm, Rijks-
empty sky easily identify the trading posts. To museum Amsterdam,
their left flies a pale flag with Chinese inv.no. SK-C-1723.
characters, which marks the location of a
customs post. From left to right we can see the Fig. 5.23. View of the
Danish flag, the white flag of the French royal quay of Canton
house and the Swedish, English and Dutch flags. (detail), anonymous,
(Figure 5.23.) To the right of the Dutch flag, in oil on paper, laid down
Figure 5.18., we can just see the Creek factory, on canvas, c. 1773,
which was named after the adjacent river ‘The 52 x 76 cm,
Creek’, which ran parallel to the west wall of Rijksmuseum
Canton. To the right of the Creek there is a hong Amsterdam,
on wooden piles. On the left of the French inv.no. SK-C-1724.
trading post is a gate, which led to New China
Street, where there were countless workshops
and shops, as there were in Old China Street and
Hog Lane (immediately to the left of the English
factory). This was where Western traders
privately purchased souvenirs and merchandise.