Artwork
Two figures seated on a pair of steps
Two figures seated on a pair of steps is a drawing by the Romanticist artist George Chinnery. It dates from 1 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
George Chinnery made this ink drawing in 1834. It shows two men sitting on wide steps. One man stretches his legs out. Between them are little stones or coins.
The artist added a quick pencil sketch of one figure on the side. He liked to work like this, mixing ink with light pencil lines.
Look up the Victoria and Albert Museum next.
Overview
George Chinnery’s 1834 ink drawing presents a quiet scene of two seated figures on a wide set of steps. One of the men rests with his legs extended, while a scattering of small stones or coins lies between them. The composition is complemented by a faint pencil rendering of one figure positioned at the right edge of the sheet.
Subject & Meaning
The work captures a moment of informal repose, suggesting a pause in everyday activity. The presence of the stones or coins may hint at a transaction or shared possession, while the relaxed posture of the extended legs conveys a sense of ease within a public or communal space.
Technique & Style
Chinnery combines precise ink lines with a light, gestural pencil sketch, a method he frequently employed to develop form before finalizing details. The ink delineates the architecture of the steps and the figures’ outlines, whereas the pencil marks on the margin reveal an exploratory stage of the drawing process.
History & Provenance
Created in 1834, the drawing is part of Chinnery’s early output during his time in Asia, reflecting his interest in everyday scenes. The piece is now held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, where it contributes to the institution’s representation of 19th‑century drawing practices.
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.
Three Chinese figures
Seated Chinese men
Untitled
Sketches of figures, including a Chinese man with a pole
Chinese figures around a basket
Two drawings of groups of Chinese figures
A drawing by GeA vendor and a stooping woman with a child on her back
A group of six Chinese figures
A group of Chinese men, and a Macanese woman