RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1964 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/qz20zx09r BOOK REVIEWS 129 of the artist, is well known. It is impossible to reconcile this story with the statement, made without citation from any authority and no supporting evidence, that "Mrs. Chinnery did in fact follow him to Canton, but when she attempted to land she was not permitted to do so and was obliged to stay aboard ship, where she caught smallpox and died". If the name of the ship, the date, or any reference to the Canton newspapers or to the records of the English graveyard at Macao can be produced in support, this event will be new history. Without proof, it must be denied. << • + All will agree with the statement without question, he (Chinnery) stands alone for his work on the China Coast. Here he had no peer". However, it is curious that no other European artist who visited the Pearl River area is mentioned by name. True "none stayed for very long". Yet they were sound painters. The success of Webber, artist to the Cook Expedition, the Daniell brothers, and Borget all prior to Chinnery—as illustrators of travel books, undoubtedly spurred Chinnery in his efforts to have his pictures reproduced. + While the engraving of Morrison after Chinnery is noted, the Sartain stipple of Howqua and the pleasant colored lithograph of the Praya Grande at Macao by Reinagle and Hullmandel, both after Chinnery, are not mentioned. Four signatures of Chinnery are shown. They vary quite widely, but this fact is overlooked apparently, and there is no attempt to reconcile or evaluate.7 In speaking of Lamqua, the Chinese painter, it is stated “In 1850 he consigned a group of portraits of Chinese merchants to Boston, for exhibition at the Atheneum". Compare this with the actual facts. Five portraits of Chinese merchants by Lamqua were exhibited in the Boston Athenaeum (please, we "Proprietors” of this private library are sensitive about correct spelling) in 1850. They were the property of Augustine Heard, partner in Russell & Co., and were distributed under his will. They are all in existence Page 48. 5 Page 20. 6 Page 38. * Page 57, Plates 6, 7 & 24 top. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1971 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/z029vt43g BOOK REVIEWS 217 of Dr. Colledge in his Opthalmic Infirmary with his Chinese assistant, which was engraved and published in London 25 November 1834. Harriet Low continues "The pictures" (not picture) "were unfortunately all too late for the Exhibition". To attempt to substitute the double portrait in the place of two separate portraits seen is unethical. 1 As art experts the authors are careless. The medium in plate not given is watercolor and the "Chinese Military" scene was "later" engraved not "lithographed". It is also poor geography to say that Lord Macartney's Embassy entered the Yangtse, when it was the Peiho River. In the Introduction, they produce two alibis: “Paintings illustrated in the sequence and not otherwise designated are attributed to him" [Chinnery], “except for portraits of Hong Merchants which are referred to in general terms” and "Events are necessarily telescoped without rigid regard for precise chronology". What a multitude of sins one can try to cover up with statements like these. Is it really necessary to include Richard Henry Dana's "Two Years Before the Mast"? The voyage was along the California coast not to the Far East. Bryant & Sturgis, the owners, were of Boston as stated, but never had an office in Canton. Their China Trade business in Canton was handled by J. P. Sturgis & Co. There are illustrated 20 paintings by Lt. J. S. Rundle, R. N. of Opium War scenes, also a pen and ink sketch. The medium is not given. All midshipmen in European Navies in the 19th century were taught to sketch and paint watercolors, so presumably these are in watercolor. The authors surmise that Chinnery met Rundle and "probably saw some of the action paintings actually illustrated in this work", but offer no factual proof that any meeting took place. No mention is made of W. A. Knell, the marine artist, whose work, of course, is much better known. In fact, the authors give a very warped view of China Coast painting. No mention of Webber nor Huggins, nor Borget. The Daniells not to be confused with the Daniells of later date are mentioned, but the one Daniell illustration shown is Indian, inappropriate to a book on China Coast Paintings. Chinnery had European pupils - five at least but apparently they are unknown to the authors. ================================================================================ RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 | RAS-1999 https://digitalrepository.lib.hku.hk/catalog/s178b887x Appendix One Activities - Talks Date 1999 23 April: Writing a History of Hong Kong, Challenges and Rewards, by Frank Welsh. 7 May: In Search of the Gods: An Anecdotal Miscellany of Memories, by Keith Stevens. 28 May: Korean Palaces, by Dr James Hayes 25 June: The Social History of the Jewish Community in Hong Kong 1842-1949, by Dr Caroline Pluss. 27 August: A Bird's Eye View of Hong Kong, by Dr David Melville. 10 September: Should Geographers Take Feng Shui Seriously? by Dr Elizabeth Teather and Eddie Chow, followed by dinner at the Mariners' Club. 22 October: Voices of Macau Stones, by Jason Wordie. 26 November: Speak English, Will Travel, by Drs Gillian and Verner Bickley. 29 November: August Borget in China and Macau, by Barbara Giordana. 10 December: The Yaumatei Book Project, by Drs Patrick Hase and James Hayes, followed by dinner at the Foreign Correspondents' Club. 2000 21 January: My Century, by Anthony Lawrence. 3 March: Hong Kong's Countryside-Conservation for the New Territories Lowlands, by Edward Stokes, XX ================================================================================