Tufted Duck
Painting
1800-1830 (made)
1800-1830 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This painting of a tufted duck is an example of a type of picture mass-produced in China for European visitors. 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.
Foreign flora and fauna were of great interest to British botanists in the 18th and 19th centuries, and their enthusiasm gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers often returned to Britain with paintings depicting numerous species of birds.
Foreign flora and fauna were of great interest to British botanists in the 18th and 19th centuries, and their enthusiasm gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers often returned to Britain with paintings depicting numerous species of birds.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Tufted Duck (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Watercolour and ink on paper |
| Brief description | Painting, 'Tufted Duck', watercolour and ink on paper, Guangzhou, China, 1800-1830 |
| Physical description | Rectangular watercolour painting with a line border depicting a bird on plain ground. The birf faces forwards, largely wite but with black andbrwon on the head. It has a long strip of plummage running down its back. On the right, a small yellow flower. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Foreign flora and fauna was 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 paintings depicting numerous species of birds. This painting of a tufted duck is one of those mass-produced pictures aimed at European visitors. Purchased from E. Parsons, accessioned in 1889. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Production | Canton |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This painting of a tufted duck is an example of a type of picture mass-produced in China for European visitors. 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. Foreign flora and fauna were of great interest to British botanists in the 18th and 19th centuries, and their enthusiasm gradually filtered down to the general public. Travellers often returned to Britain with paintings depicting numerous species of birds. |
| Bibliographic reference | Souvenir from Canton : Chinese export paintings from the Victoria and Albert Museum, Shanghai, 2003
266 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | D.1318-1889 |
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| Record created | July 7, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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