Not currently on display at the V&A

Painting

1800-1830 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This painting is from a set of 11 depicting women playing different kinds of Chinese musical instruments. Here a maid holds an incense burner while her seated mistress is playing the zither. The instrument is called 'qin' and has a flat base, seven strings and is placed horizontally.

Artists in Canton (Guangzhou), in southern China, made such paintings for Europeans eager to find out more about China and its people. In the 18th century Canton became the principal, and later the only, trading port at which Europeans were permitted to buy Chinese goods.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Watercolour and ink on western paper
Brief description
Painting, watercolours on paper, Guangzhou, China, 1800-1830
Physical description
Painting, rectangualr in shape, with figures in the centre. The seated woman is playing the zither, while her maid holds an incense burner.
Dimensions
  • Height: 42cm
  • Width: 34cm
Style
Object history
This painting is from a set of 11 depicting women playing different kinds of Chinese musical instruments. Artists in Canton made such paintings for Europeans eager to find out more about China and her people.
Subject depicted
Summary
This painting is from a set of 11 depicting women playing different kinds of Chinese musical instruments. Here a maid holds an incense burner while her seated mistress is playing the zither. The instrument is called 'qin' and has a flat base, seven strings and is placed horizontally.

Artists in Canton (Guangzhou), in southern China, made such paintings for Europeans eager to find out more about China and its people. In the 18th century Canton became the principal, and later the only, trading port at which Europeans were permitted to buy Chinese goods.
Associated objects
Bibliographic reference
Souvenir from Canton : Chinese export paintings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Shanghai, 2003 280
Collection
Accession number
9290:2

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Record createdJuly 6, 2004
Record URL
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