Artwork
The 'hong merchant' Mowqua
The 'hong merchant' Mowqua 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. This portrait, executed in drawing, depicts Lu Yuankin, a Chinese merchant known to Western traders as Mowqua.
About this work
You can learn more about the style and techniques used in this drawing by looking into the technique of cross-hatching.
The drawing is a portrait of Mowqua, a 'Hong merchant'. It was created by George Chinnery.
Mowqua was an important figure in Guangzou, with whom Western merchants had to deal. He was the second-ranking 'Hong merchant' from 1812 to 1835. This drawing is related to another portrait of Mowqua, but with some differences.
You can learn more about the style and techniques used in this drawing by looking into the technique of cross-hatching.
Overview
This portrait, executed in drawing, depicts Lu Yuankin, a Chinese merchant known to Western traders as Mowqua. The work is attributed to the British artist George Chinnery, who was active in Canton during the early nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
Mowqua served as the second‑ranking Hong merchant in Guangzhou from 1812 to 1835, a position that made him a key intermediary for foreign merchants operating in the port. The portrait reflects his status and the cross‑cultural interactions of the period.
Technique & Style
The image is rendered with fine cross‑hatching, a method Chinnery employed to model form and texture in monochrome media. The careful line work creates tonal variation, emphasizing facial features and the texture of the subject’s attire without the use of colour.
History & Provenance
The drawing is linked to Chinnery’s later oil portrait of Mowqua, now held in the HSBC Collection, though the two works differ in composition and detail. The drawing’s provenance traces back to collections of Cantonese trade artefacts, but specific ownership records remain limited.
Context
During the early nineteenth century, Hong merchants like Mowqua were mandated by Chinese authorities to manage trade with Western firms. Their prominence made them frequent subjects for European artists seeking to document the commercial landscape of the Canton System.
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.
A Chinese money changer
Sketches of figures, including a Chinese man with a pole
A Standing Oriental Wearing a Greatcoat
A Western man in a library flanked by two Chinese men
A Western man seated with a book on his knee
A Young Man
Nora Quinn
The Blindness of Tobit: The Larger Plate
The head of an elderly Chinese man
A sketch of three Western figures in a drawing room
A Western woman seated at a table
Classical Sculpture of a Pensive Woman