George Chinnery facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Chinnery
Self-portrait, c. 1840
Born	5 January 1774 London, England
Died	30 May 1852 (aged 78) Macau
Nationality	English
Known for	Painting

An Indian herdsman on a bank, cattle watering in a river below

George Chinnery (Chinese: 錢納利; 5 January 1774 – 30 May 1852) was an English painter. He spent most of his life living and working in Asia. He is especially known for his artwork from India and southern China.

Early Life of a Painter

Chinnery was born in London, England, in 1774. He studied art at the Royal Academy Schools in London. In 1796, he moved to Ireland. There, he started to become a successful artist. He married Marianne Vigne in Dublin in 1799.

Painting in India

In 1801, Chinnery returned to London. The next year, in 1802, he sailed to Madras (now Chennai) in India. He soon became a well-known painter there. Later, he moved to Calcutta (now Kolkata). He became the most important artist for the British community in India.

One of his famous paintings shows the children of Colonel James Achilles Kirkpatrick. This painting is called The Kirkpatrick Children. It shows the boy looking directly at the viewer. The girl looks down, appearing a bit shy. This painting shows a lot of feeling.

Life and Art in China

In 1825, George Chinnery moved to Macau in southern China. He stayed there until he died in 1852. He also visited Canton (now Guangzhou) regularly until 1832. In China, he painted many portraits. His subjects included Chinese and Western merchants. He also painted visiting sea-captains and their families.

A Chinese artist named Lam Qua learned from Chinnery. Lam Qua copied Chinnery's oil painting style. He also became a famous portrait painter. Chinnery also created many landscapes. He used both oil paints and watercolors. He made many drawings of people in Macau doing their daily activities. These drawings show what life was like back then.

This painting shows a street scene in Macau. At the time, Westerners had limited access to China. They mainly traded from settlements like Macau and later Hong Kong. Chinnery was unique because he was very interested in local life.

In 1846, he visited Hong Kong for six months. He was not very well during this time. However, he made detailed studies of the new colony. George Chinnery died in Macau on May 30, 1852. He is buried in the Old Protestant Cemetery there.

His Important Works

Chinnery's paintings are important for two reasons. First, they have great artistic value. Second, they are historically valuable. He was the only Western painter living in South China during the early to mid-1800s. His art shows a clear picture of everyday life. He also painted the beautiful landscapes of the Pearl River Delta region.

Some of the people he painted include important merchants like William Jardine and James Matheson. He also painted the famous diarist Harriet Low.

George Chinnery learned a special writing system called shorthand from his father. He used his own version of this shorthand. He would quickly jot down notes on his pencil sketches.

Where to See His Art

You can find many of Chinnery's drawings in museums today. Large collections are in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum. In the United States, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, also has many of his works. Other important collections are in the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Macau Museum. The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation has a great collection of his paintings too.

Gallery of works

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  The Hong merchant Howqua, 1830, who was once one of the richest men in the world

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  Portrait of Thomas Beale, 1802-1803

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  Watercolour on ivory of Catherine Sherson, (born Taylor), 1802–03

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  Portrait of Gilbert Eliot, 1st Earl of Minto, (1811-1812)

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  Thomas Richardson Colledge with patients (c. 1833-1835)

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  William Jardine in his study