Introduction
This exhibition showcases over 300 pieces of export paintings and works in the style of George Chinnery, primarily from the Macao Museum of Art under the Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Guangdong Museum, along with a selection of works housed in the Hong Kong Museum of Art of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Through three different perspectives – painting style, painting skills, and painting materials – the exhibition unveils the visual dialogue and integration between China and the West, which were brought about by local and foreign artists in the Pearl River Delta area during the 18th and 19th centuries.
This year, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of George Chinnery’s birth, the exhibition particularly presents over 100 artworks created by Chinnery’s students and those deeply influenced by him. The show provides a comprehensive reflection on Chinnery’s influence in South China while also highlighting Macao’s role in the collision and integration of Chinese and Western cultures. It encompasses various themes, such as plants, ships, landscapes, portraits, and genre painting, thereby interpreting the dialogue between Chinese and Western painting skills. The exhibition displays various Chinese and Western painting practices, including oils, watercolours, gouache, sketches and printmaking, offering a panoramic view of the integration and adaptation of Chinese and Western painting materials.
1. Integration of Painting Styles: George Chinnery and His Painting Styles
British painter George Chinney (1774–1852) is hailed as the most influential Western painter in the East during the 19th century. This section features works by Chinnery, Western settlers, Macanese and some Chinese painters, including export painters such as Lamqua.
Venue: 3rd Floor of MAM
Duration: 2024/5/11 -2024/9/15
2. Acclimation of Painting Skills
In the 18th and 19th centuries, cultural exchange between China and the West deepened, resulting in the introduction and gradual integration of Chinese and Western painting skills to the South China coast. This section showcases botanical paintings, ship portraits, landscapes, portraits, and genre paintings. The array of painting themes offers a glimpse of the visual dialogue and integration of Chinese and Western painting skills.
Venue: 4th Floor of MAM (area A)
Duration: 2024/5/11 -2024/8/11
3. Adaptation of Painting Materials
Through a variety of visual artworks and Chinese and Western painting materials, including oils, watercolours, gouache, sketches and printmaking, this section offers an overview of the adaptation and integration of Chinese and Western painting materials.
Venue: 4th Floor of MAM (area B)
Duration: 2024/5/11 -2024/8/11