Collection

Moneychanger

Pu-Qua

  • Moneychanger 2
Basic information
ID
Г-IV-5531/4
Author
Pu-Qua
Name
Moneychanger
Date of creation
late 17th – early 18th c.
Country
China
Culture
Far East
Technique
etching embossing
Material
Indian ink paper
Dimensions (height x width, cm)
29.3 x 24.4
Information about author
Author
Pu-Qua
Artist's lifetime
1494–1552
Biography
Chinese artist
Object description
A man is depicted leaning over the table on which there are two rows of round coins with holes. A thin wooden stick with a cylinder, which is evenly divided by red stripes into segments, is vertically attached to the corner of the table. The man is dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and short trousers. He wears fabric shoes with upturned socks formed by the sole. The man's head is bald. The man holds a round coin with a square hole and a metal notching tool in his left hand. The etching comes from the album "Chinese Customs and National Costumes", which includes 60 images of Chinese people engaged in various activities. Each image is accompanied by an explanation in German; some of them are written in French. In the eighteenth century, artists in Canton (Guangzhou) in southern China created such paintings for Europeans seeking to learn more about China and its people.
Inscriptions
In the lower left corner there is an inscription: "Pu-Qua.Canton. Delin. l=1." made in Indian ink. In the lower right corner there is an inscription: "Dadley.London.Sculpt №4". In the lower part of the sheet there are watermarks: "1794 J.Whatman".