Watering Tea Plants
Painting
c.1795 (made)
c.1795 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting is from an album that contains 28 pictures showing Chinese men and women in different costumes. The Chinese caption explains that the man is watering a tea plant. The first owner of the album has made his own annotation in pencil.
In the late 18th century Europeans were fascinated by Chinese dresses and hairstyles, which were markedly different from their own, and paintings similar to this were produced to satisfy their curiosity. It was made in Canton (Guangzhou) in southern China. In the 18th century the city became the principal, and later the only, trading port at which Europeans were permitted to buy Chinese goods.
In the late 18th century Europeans were fascinated by Chinese dresses and hairstyles, which were markedly different from their own, and paintings similar to this were produced to satisfy their curiosity. It was made in Canton (Guangzhou) in southern China. In the 18th century the city became the principal, and later the only, trading port at which Europeans were permitted to buy Chinese goods.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Watering Tea Plants (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolours on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, watercolours on paper, Guangzhou, China, c.1795 |
| Physical description | Painting depicting a central figure on plain ground. The figure wears grey and stands above five green tea plants using a piece of equipment to water them. Above the figure are two lines of text, one in Chinese characters, the second an English translation. The translation reads; Tea Watering, though its accuracy is not guaranteed. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | This painting is one of twenty-eight from an album depicting the costumes of various chinese officials, tradesmen, soldiers and artisans. The whole series is numbered D.895-1898 to D.922-1989. Purchased from E. Parsons & Sons, accessioned in 1898. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painting is from an album that contains 28 pictures showing Chinese men and women in different costumes. The Chinese caption explains that the man is watering a tea plant. The first owner of the album has made his own annotation in pencil. In the late 18th century Europeans were fascinated by Chinese dresses and hairstyles, which were markedly different from their own, and paintings similar to this were produced to satisfy their curiosity. It was made in Canton (Guangzhou) in southern China. In the 18th century the city became the principal, and later the only, trading port at which Europeans were permitted to buy Chinese goods. |
| Associated objects |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | D.920-1898 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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