Artwork
Man Selling Pork
Man Selling Pork is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting 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 portrays a vendor engaged in the sale of pork. The composition centers on a solitary figure positioned between a modest wooden table and a sizable wicker basket, emphasizing the act of trade within a simple interior setting.
Subject & Meaning
The central character, attired in a brown garment and a loose blue apron, is shown slicing a slab of raw pork while holding a knife. Adjacent to him, the basket contains additional meat, fish, and a coil of rope, suggesting a broader range of market goods and the everyday labor of food preparation.
Technique & Style
Puqua employs a restrained palette of muted, warm tones, allowing the blue of the apron and the brown of the clothing to stand out subtly. Soft illumination highlights the texture of the pork and casts a gentle shadow on the vendor, while the plain background eliminates distraction, focusing attention on the manual activity.
History & Provenance
The work belongs to a series of one hundred paintings that document diverse occupations in Canton. It entered the museum’s collection after being purchased from the dealers Parsons & Sons and was formally accessioned in 1898, a detail confirmed by the Asia Department’s records during a provenance research project completed in 2022.
Context
As part of a larger visual survey of Cantonese trades, this piece reflects the late eighteenth‑century interest in cataloguing everyday labor. The emphasis on a single, unembellished scene aligns with contemporary efforts to record commercial practices for both instructional and documentary purposes.
Artist & collection
