Artwork

A small building on a rocky hillside, Macau

A small building on a rocky hillside, Macau, by George Chinnery, 19
A small building on a rocky hillside, Macau, by George Chinnery, 19

A small building on a rocky hillside, Macau is a drawing by the Romanticist artist George Chinnery. It dates from 19 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a pen-and-ink drawing that records a modest structure perched on a rocky slope in Macau.

About this work

Overview

The work is a pen-and-ink drawing that records a modest structure perched on a rocky slope in Macau.

The work is a pen-and-ink drawing that records a modest structure perched on a rocky slope in Macau. The composition captures the building’s low, elongated roof, which is propped up by a pair of wooden supports, and a solitary tree emerging from the stonework beneath a nearby road. The drawing is catalogued alongside two related studies, E.2149‑1928 and E.2159‑1928, which depict the same edifice from different viewpoints.

Subject & Meaning

The image documents an architectural solution to challenging terrain, where the extended eave is reinforced with timber to counteract instability. The presence of a tree growing from the masonry hints at the integration of natural elements within an urban setting, suggesting a dialogue between built and organic forms in a densely built hillside environment.

Technique & Style

Executed with fine cross‑hatching, the drawing employs a network of parallel lines to convey texture, depth, and the play of light on stone and wood. The linear approach emphasizes structural details—such as the wooden props and stone blocks—while the sparse shading delineates the surrounding rocky landscape without overwhelming the focal building.

History & Provenance

The drawing is dated 1928 and forms part of a series of studies of the same Macau hillside structure. It is referenced in the museum’s catalogue alongside two companion pieces, indicating a systematic visual investigation of the site during that period. The work remains in the institution’s collection, identified by its accession number.

Context

Created during a time of rapid urban development in Macau, the drawing reflects contemporary interest in documenting vernacular architecture that adapts to steep topography. The wooden supports illustrate pragmatic engineering responses to the region’s frequent landslides and soil movement, offering insight into local building practices of the early twentieth century.

Legacy

While modest in scale, the drawing contributes to a broader visual archive of Macau’s built environment, providing scholars with a precise record of a specific structure that may no longer exist. Its detailed rendering supports comparative studies of hillside construction techniques and informs preservation efforts for similar historic sites.

Artist & collection

Portrait of George Chinnery

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.