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GEORGE CHINNERY, R.H.A. (1774-1852) (Lots 258-261) Born in London, Chinnery exhibited in London and Dublin in the 1790s before sailing for India in 1802 where he established himself as a portraitist and the pre-eminent British artist in India. An eccentric character with an extravagant lifestyle, Chinnery fled a wife and debts for Macao in 1825. He settled in Macao, with brief excursions to Canton and Hong Kong, until his death in 1852. At the time, Chinnery was the only British artist living on the China coast. His studio became a destination for all visiting western artists, many of whose work subsequently betrayed the influence of his distinctive style. Similarly, the Cantonese artists imitated his lucrative portraits, most notably Lamqua (who may have spent some time in his studio), and competed with Chinnery to supply the demand for portraits and Chinese views for western merchants and visitors. Chinnery's own work though remains distinct, marked by a sophistication and brevity of touch that his imitators could not match. He continued to exhibit at the Royal Academy from abroad, his last exhibited picture (in 1846, no.367) his celebrated self-portrait at his easel, now in the National Portrait Gallery. THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN

George Chinnery, R.H.A. (1774-1852)

A market in front of São Domingos Church, Macao

Details

George Chinnery, R.H.A. (1774-1852)
A market in front of São Domingos Church, Macao
inscribed in the artist's shorthand and dated 'correct this good quite right December 1st 1838' (upper left)
pencil, pen and ink on paper
10 7/8 x 7¾in. (27.7 x 19.7cm.)

Provenance

Anon. sale, Christie's South Kensington, 28 May 1975, lot 340.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

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