Artwork
Figures ascending a staircase, a pig, a cow and two calves
Figures ascending a staircase, a pig, a cow and two calves is a drawing by the Romanticist artist George Chinnery. It dates from 12 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This drawing by George Chinnery depicts a everyday scene with a mix of animals and human figures. A Macanese woman, attended by a servant holding a parasol, ascends a staircase while a cow, two tethered calves, and a pig are also present.
Subject & Meaning
The subject combines mundane domestic elements: a woman of Macanese background with her servant, and livestock (a cow, calves, pig). The scene may reflect Chinnery's observation of daily life, possibly in a colonial setting, given the Macanese figure and the servant.
Technique & Style
Executed in a style consistent with Romanticism, the drawing likely features expressive line work. Chinnery may have employed techniques such as cross-hatching to achieve shading and depth, though specific techniques used in this work are not detailed here.
History & Provenance
Created by British artist George Chinnery, this drawing's exact date and original commission context are not specified here. Its provenance (ownership history) is also not provided.
Context
As a Romantic-era work, it may emphasize emotional, everyday, or less conventional subjects. Chinnery's location and observations of local life, possibly in Macau given the subject's ethnicity, influenced the drawing's content.
Legacy
The drawing's impact or influence on later artists is not specified. It remains a representative example of Chinnery's work and potentially of colonial-era observational art.
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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.
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