Who painted A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau?

A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau was painted by George Chinnery in 16.

Where can I see A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau?

A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau?

A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau

George Chinnery , 16

A small building and trees on a hillside, Macau is a drawing by the Romanticist artist George Chinnery. It dates from 16 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is an ink drawing that records a modest stone structure perched on a slope in Macau.

About this work

Overview

The work is an ink drawing that records a modest stone structure perched on a slope in Macau. Its roof, extending outward, is held up by a series of wooden supports, while a tree emerges directly from the wall beneath the road. The composition captures the building’s precarious state and the encroaching vegetation, reflecting a moment of architectural decay.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing highlights the interaction between built form and natural growth, emphasizing how the structure’s deterioration allows a tree to claim space within the masonry. This juxtaposition underscores a recurring theme in the artist’s oeuvre: the transience of human constructions when confronted with the persistent forces of nature.

Technique & Style

Executed in ink, the artist employs fine cross‑hatching to model shadows and convey the texture of stone, timber, and foliage. The delicate line work creates a sense of depth, while the slightly improvised appearance of the wooden props suggests a pragmatic, temporary solution to structural failure.

History & Provenance

The drawing is part of a series documenting Macau’s architecture in the early twentieth century, catalogued alongside related studies identified as E.2142‑1928 and E.2159‑1928. These works were produced by the British‑born painter and draughtsman George Chinnery, whose sketches of the region are now held in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Artist & collection

Artist

George Chinnery

George Chinnery (Chinese: 錢納利; 5 January 1774 – 30 May 1852) was an English painter who spent most of his life in Asia, especially India and southern China.