
May one see it?
London, United Kingdom
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
This painting is from an album that contains 23 pictures showing the cultivation and processing of tea. It depicts a 'hong merchant' buying from a tea grower. ‘Hong merchant’ was the name given to a dozen or so merchants in Canton (Guangzhou), southern China, who had the monopoly of trade between China and Europe before 1840.
Tea was a staple commodity exported to Europe from China. Paintings like this were produced to satisfy the curiosity of Westerners who wanted to know more about China.
Victoria and Albert Museum