Artwork
Making Making Official Hats
Making Making Official Hats is a paint painting by the Romanticist artist Puqua. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1790, this rectangular watercolor by the artist Puqua forms part of a series of one hundred images that document the range of occupations practiced in Canton. The work measures a modest size and presents a solitary figure engaged in the production of a red hat, an illustration of everyday craftsmanship within a broader visual record of trade.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the composition a man dressed in blue sits behind a wooden workbench, his hair bound with a blue ribbon. He is shown trimming a vivid red feather fan, surrounded by additional feathers, scissors and small tools. The careful handling of the materials foregrounds the skill and concentration required for seemingly simple, utilitarian objects.
Technique & Style
Puqua employs a delicate watercolor palette, using fine brushwork to render the texture of feathers and the sheen of the wooden surface. The limited colour scheme—dominant blues and reds—creates visual contrast that draws attention to the hand’s activity. The rendering is precise yet economical, characteristic of late‑eighteenth‑century illustrative painting.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the museum’s collection through the dealer Parsons & Sons and was formally accessioned in 1898, as noted in the Asia Department registers. Its provenance was reaffirmed during a 2022 research project that traced its acquisition history and confirmed its place within the larger Cantonese occupational series.
Artist & collection
