Page 96 - Made For Trade Chinese Export Paintings In Dutch Collections

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In the following section, I will deal with the that “les peintures à l’huile représentent Fig. 3.19. Export painter
media that feature most commonly in the Dutch généralement des vues d’habitations chinoise, les copying a Western
collections: oil paintings, watercolours and vues de Macao, de Bocca Tigris, de Wham-pou engraving on to the
gouaches on paper and reverse glass paintings. et des factories de Canton et une foule de suets reverse of a sheet of
copiés d’apres des gravures européennes.” 145 glass (from set of 100
Oil paintings Particular subjects were painted time and again, images of trades and
China had no tradition of painting with oils. each time identically: ships portraits with the occupations of Canton),
While in Europe artists experimented with the island of Lin Tin, Whampoa or Hong Kong as anonymous,
manufacture and use of various materials, in the recurring backgrounds; the compositional watercolour on paper,
nineteenth century Chinese artists continued treatment of Chinese junks and other boats in c. 1790, 42 x 35 cm,
mostly to use water-based (ink) media, which the familiar views of the harbours of Canton, Victoria and Albert
they had been working with for generations. 143 Whampoa, Bocca Tigris or Macao; fixed Museum London,
Although oil paints were introduced to the elements such as twisted trees and branches, inv.no. D 107.1898.
imperial court in 1699 by the Italian missionary rocks, trees and groups of people in the
and painter Gherardini, we read in Jourdain and landscape; and familiar decor such as a red Fig. 3.20. Export oil
Jenyns that, at that time, this was not a curtain hung next to an open window and the painter, anonymous,
widespread medium beyond these walls. 144 Even furniture of captains and naval officers. gouache on paper,
when the use of oil paint became quotidian in A clear example of a topic that was repeatedly c. 1800, 37.5 x 29.8 cm,
Canton it was still only used in paintings for painted is provided by two paintings both private collection.
Western clients. It seems that most export oil rendered in oil, but on different supports, in the
paintings copied certain compositional elements collection of Museum Volkenkunde. (Figures
from Western prints or from fellow export 3.21. and 3.22.) One is painted on glass and
artists. Still in the 1840s in the Étude pratique de carries the title The hunt while the other has a
commerce d’exportation de la Chine, we read canvas support and is entitled Winter landscape

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143 Koon 2014, 54-64. Bradford 2005, 85. Yang & Barnhard 1997, 251-297. Clunas 1997, 191-199.
144 Jourdain & Jenyns 1967, 34.
145 Rondot 1849, 177. Translation: The oil paintings generally depict Chinese livings (homes), views of Macao,of
Bocca Tigris, of Whampoa and the factories (hongs) of Canton and a variety of subjects, copied after European
engravings.