Page 88 - Christie's London China Trade Paintings Kelton Collection

*63
GEORGE CHINNERY (1774-1852)
Portrait of a Lady, half length in a blue dress with white collar, wearing gold drop earrings
oil on canvas
30 x 24in. (76.2 x 60.9cm.)
in a fne carved and gilt wood frame
£30,000-50,000 US$38,000-62,000
€34,000-56,000

PROVENANCE:
Anon. sale, Sotheby's, London, 11 March 1987, lot 62.
EXHIBITED:
Hong Kong, Hong Kong Maritime Museum, The Dragon and the Eagle: American Traders in China, A Century of Trade from 1784 to
1900, Dec. 2019-April 2019, 5.20 (as 'Portrait of Harriet Low').
A large and bravura portrait by Chinnery, recently described as a portrait of Harriet Low, but bearing little resemblance to the small
portrait of Harriet, now in the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts (M18709). Harriet Low was resident in Macao with
her uncle and aunt William (a director of Russell & Co.) and Abigail Low between 30 September 1829 and 19 November 1833.
She became a favourite of Chinnery's, took drawing lessons and made regular visits to his studio, or 'room', as she described it
in her journal. There is no mention in her journal of her portrait being painted until the Lows commissioned separate portraits of
themselves towards the end of their stay in Macao. Harriet's journal entries during the sittings give us one of the few accounts
of the artist at work in Macao. The three Chinnery portraits all returned to America with the Lows in 1833. There are apparently
drawings which relate to the present portrait, of an anonymous sitter, which date to 9 November 1847, years after the Lows had
sailed from Macao.

86 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.