One of the most interesting works in the room is a large canvas entitled “The Alexander Hume Scroll Painting of Foreign Factories in Canton”, painted on silk by an unknown artist using a particular tempera technique known as gouache.
Alexander Hume was a businessman who worked for the East India Company in Canton, where he bought the work which shows what the port looked like around 1772, when it was painted.
At that time, Canton was the only Chinese port where, thanks to a decree by the Emperor Qing Qianlong, trade was permitted with the West.
In the painting, from right to left, you can see the flags of various nations that were doing business in Canton at the time: Holland, Great Britain, Sweden, France and Denmark.
In the foreground, you can see fishermen, merchants of various nationalities, sailors and officers.
In the port and on the sea are various types of craft, from small Chinese junks to large foreign ships.
The buildings in the background show a blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles.
On the whole, the painting offers a unique snapshot of this part of the world at the time.
