Artwork
Fields and trees, with the city of Macau in the distance
Fields and trees, with the city of Macau in the distance 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.
About this work
Overview
The work is a pencil drawing that depicts an open landscape of fields and trees, with the distant skyline of Macau visible beyond rolling hills. The composition balances a detailed foreground with a broader view of the city, creating a sense of depth across the terrain.
Subject & Meaning
The foreground is populated by a cluster of trees and undulating hills, while the background reveals Macau’s urban silhouette, suggesting a juxtaposition of rural and urban environments. The presence of cattle sketches on the reverse side hints at the artist’s interest in everyday agrarian life alongside the cityscape.
Technique & Style
Executed primarily in pencil, the drawing employs cross‑hatching to render texture and tonal variation, especially in the foliage and distant structures. The back of the sheet contains rapid pencil studies and three inked depictions of cattle, demonstrating a practice of quick observational sketches alongside the finished composition.
Context
The piece reflects a period when artists often combined landscape observation with studies of local fauna, integrating field notes directly onto the drawing surface. The inclusion of Macau’s skyline situates the work within a specific geographic context, offering insight into the visual relationship between the city and its surrounding countryside.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
