216
BOOK REVIEWS
cusp of the crescent" (of the Praya Grande), deserves the derision of every collector.
Their description of "the ambroidered (sic) phoenix plastron” conclusively proves the authors know nothing of the eight privileged classes in China. With this lack of knowledge they are in no position to comment on any portrait of a mandarin or hong merchant. To suggest that Gou Qua, a hong merchant, would take to the street as a fortune teller is quite impossible as he would lose face by such an act and never would paint himself in this situation.
The authors really know very little about Chinnery. They state "Chinnery's forte was for portraits and these comprise the greater part of his oeuvre". Pages later they quote him "I have about 6,000 sketches of Eastern Scenery already - an invaluable collection, I assure you; but you see I am constantly accumulating”. They produce the completely unproven slur that one of the portraits he painted was of “a man of great wealth, an important qualification in the artist's philosophy as he was at his best when a generous fee had been agreed". They also attempt, again with no proof, to attribute to him “occasional bouts of opium smoking”.
It is an error to say "Russell & Co..... in turn came under control of Low Brothers of Salem". W. H. Low, Senior was a partner 1830-1833. His nephew, A. A. Low, was a clerk 1833-1837, partner 1837-1840. W. H. Low 2nd worked as a clerk but never was a partner. The famous firm of A. A. Low and Bros. of New York, please, not Salem - was founded in 1841 by A. A. Low after he had retired from Russell & Co. It is a solecism to call the firm "Russells". It makes a good story only to the authors that "W. C. Hunter", later a partner in Russell & Co., “grasped sufficient of the local dialect to act as interpreter". It is common knowledge that he specifically was sent to Singapore and Malacca to study Chinese.
It is inaccurate to state that Harriet Low, in her Diary, mentions seeing the double portrait of Dr. & Mrs. Colledge, plate 79, in London at Daniells' on 19 July 1834. She "saw pictures of Mr. & Mrs. Colledge, not a single picture. Let us read further in the Diary: "Ayok" (the Low Chinese servant) "burst into quite an hysterical laugh when he saw his father's face in Mr. Colledge's picture". This is an obvious reference to the Chinnery portrait
216
BOOK REVIEWS
cusp of the crescent" (of the Praya Grande), deserves the derision of every collector.
Their description of "the ambroidered (sic) phoenix plastron” conclusively proves the authors know nothing of the eight privi- leged classes in China. With this lack of knowledge they are in no position to comment on any portrait of a mandarin or hong merchant. To suggest that Gou Qua, a hong merchant, would take to the street as a fortune teller is quite impossible as he would lose face by such an act and never would paint himself in this situation.
The authors really know very little about Chinnery. They state "Chinnery's forte was for portraits and these comprise the greater part of his oeuvre". Pages later they quote him "I have about 6,000 sketches of Eastern Scenery already- - an invaluable collec- tion, I assure you; but you see I am constantly accumulating”. They produce the completely unproven slur that one of the portraits he painted was of “a man of great wealth, an important qualifica- tion in the artist's philosophy as he was at his best when a generous fee had been agreed". They also attempt, again with no proof, to attribute to him “occasional bouts of opium smoking”.
It is an error to say "Russell & Co..... in turn came under control of Low Brothers of Salem". W. H. Low, Senior was a partner 1830-1833. His nephew, A. A. Low, was a clerk 1833- 1837, partner 1837-1840. W. H, Low 2nd worked as a clerk but never was a partner. The famous firm of A. A. Low and Bros.
of New York, please, not Salem - was founded in 1841 by A. A. Low after he had retired from Russell & Co. It is a solecism to call the firm "Russells". It makes a good story only to the authors that "W, C. Hunter", later a partner in Russell & Co., “grasped sufficient of the local dialect to act as interpreter". It is common knowledge that he specifically was sent to Singapore and Malacca to study Chinese.
It is inaccurate to state that Harriet Low, in her Diary, men- tions seeing the double portrait of Dr. & Mrs. Colledge, plate 79, in London at Daniells' on 19 July 1834. She "saw pictures of Mr. & Mrs. Colledge, not a single picture. Let us read further in the Diary: "Ayok" (the Low Chinese servant) "burst into quite an hysterical laugh when he saw his father's face in Mr. Colledge's picture". This is an obvious reference to the Chinnery portrait
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