Bananas
Painting
1822-1840 (made)
1822-1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting of bananas is drawn on western paper, specially imported into China for its high quality.Unfamiliar flora and fauna were of great interest to British botanists in the 18th and 19th centuries, and such enthusiasm gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers often returned to Britain with foreign plants and, more commonly, paintings depicting numerous species of tropical flowers and fruits.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and ink on European paper |
| Brief description | Painting, 'Bananas', watercolour and ink on paper, Guangzhou, China, 1822-1840 |
| Physical description | Rectangular watercolour painting depicting a botanical illustration on plain ground. A bunch of yellow-green bananas rests under a large curved palm leaf. On half of a banana has been cut open to reveal the inside details. Mounted on brown tinted paper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Unfamiliar flora and fauna had strong appeal to British botanists in the 18th/19th century, and such interest gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers brought back to Britain foreign plants and more commonly, paintings depicting the numerous species of tropical flowers and fruits. This painting of bananas is drawn on western paper, specially imported into China for its strong quality. Acquisition method and source not identified in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1886. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painting of bananas is drawn on western paper, specially imported into China for its high quality.Unfamiliar flora and fauna were of great interest to British botanists in the 18th and 19th centuries, and such enthusiasm gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers often returned to Britain with foreign plants and, more commonly, paintings depicting numerous species of tropical flowers and fruits. |
| Bibliographic reference | Souvenir from Canton : Chinese export paintings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Shanghai, 2003
244 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | D.319-1886 |
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| Record created | October 30, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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