CHAPTER VI.

Visit to the Atélier of Lum-qua, the Sir Thomas Lawrence of China— His idea of an English beauty-Seven Ages of Man, depicted-Opium Smugglers' fate-Opium Smokers' progress-Lum-qua's opinion of English artists' misrepresentations.

THE colours, prepared and used, by the Chinese artists of the first class, equal, if they do not surpass those formerly used in the Venetian, Italian, and, Flemish schools; and this arises in great measure from the peculiar mode adopted by the Chinese in preparing the oil and water colours. Being most desirous to obtain accurate information on the subject, when at Canton, we went to the atélier of Lum-qua, who is a remarkably intelligent, clever man, and most talented artist, to endeavour to obtain the desired knowledge connected with the peculiar preparation of their oil paints we tried to watch the operations of a pupil, who was mixing some oil colours, when Lum-qua unfortunately observed how our attention was engrossed, and immediately ordered the colour-mixer to arrest his occupation, nor would he allow the obedient youth to resume his task while we remained in the We purchased some colours from Lum-qua, and mixed them in the manner generally adopted by European artists, and although they appeared the

room.

VISIT TO THE ATELIER OF LUM-QUA. 107

same as the colours he was using, the tints produced were totally dissimilar: we tried by persuasion to induce Lum-qua to give or sell some prepared colours, but neither honied words, flattery, nor money, would cause him to accede to our request. Lum-qua is called by Europeans the Sir Thomas Lawrence of China, and he well deserves this proud distinction, as the colouring of this artist's oil-paintings is exceedingly fine: although his ideas of female beauty differ materially from our own: in the course of conversation we asked his opinion of an English belle then at Canton, and the reply was completely characteristic of a Chinaman's ideas of female beauty; her face is too round, she has colour in her cheeks, her eyes are too blue, too large; she's too tall, too plump, yi-yaw;* her face talks; (meaning the countenance was expressive) and she has feet so large that she can walk upon them. In Lum-qua's atélier we saw many portraits both of Europeans and Chinese, many of which were excellent likenesses, and although deficient in light and shade, were executed in a most masterly manner; but the great defect in Lum-qua's portraits is a deficiency of life and expression: our attention was particularly attracted by what we considered a very pretty female face, of round plump contour, the eyes possibly rather too small, the painting representing a Chinese lady we asked the artist who the lady was, when he replied, "that nobody, that fancy portrait for Englishman, that not Chinaman beauty, that China beauty; pointing to the portrait of a boatwoman, which most assuredly ill accorded with our

* The Chinese expression of surprise, astonishment, or disgust.

ideas of female loveliness, as the face was expressionless, lean, colourless, and sallow.

Although the water-colour drawings have been frequently imported into Europe and America, we were not aware, until we visited Canton, that the Chinese were proficient in the art of oil-painting, neither do we believe this fact is generally known; we have in our possession an oil-painting by Lum-qua, representing the interior of a Chinese dwelling, which for chasteness of design, truthfulness of composition, accuracy of perspective, and subdued tone of colouring, has never been surpassed by any master, of the ancient schools; the figures and costumes are perfect; whilst the objects of still life, animals and flowers, are delineated with Chinese exactitude.*

The late Dr. Adam Clarke, had a series of paintings in water-colours, representing all the legends of the Chinese mythology; these were most exquisitely finished, and were valued, justly, most highly by all connoisseurs. In Lum-qua's studio, are to be seen some complete gems, being water-colour drawings upon what is usually termed rice paper, representing human beings, animals, flowers, and birds; but the most remarkable of this class of drawings, were two sets, or series, one corresponding with Skakespeare's Seven Ages of Man, representing the birth, life, and death of a mandarin; the other depicted the effects, and results, of opium smoking and smuggling. We will commence with the mandarin; the first painting portrayed an infant, newly born, whom the female attendants were about to immerse in his first bath.

* See Frontispiece.

PICTURE OF THE HISTORY OF A MANDARIN. 109

Next, his father leads him by the hand conducting him to school. The third, represents a youth, diligently employed in his studies, in the dwelling of his preceptor; then he appears, arrived at manhood, in the house of a mandarin, to whom he presents certain writings. Fifthly, being about to be married, he stands at the door of his residence, to receive and welcome his new bride. Sixthly, habited as a soldier, he koo-tows, or knocks his head on the ground before the Emperor, who confers upon him the button of a mandarin, as a reward of military services. Seventhly, arrayed in the gorgeous robes of a military mandarin, surrounded by numerous attendants, he proceeds to pay a visit to his old schoolmaster and preceptor, to thank him for the successful education he received whilst under his charge. "The last stage," of life, in this "eventful history," represents the mandarin upon his deathbed, surrounded by a numerous family of weeping wives, handmaids, sons, daughters, grandchildren, and other relatives, while near the bed, is placed a coffin most elaborately carved and gilded. The last drawing of this series, exhibits the deceased mandarin borne to his grave, preceded by innumerable banners, on which are inscribed his manifold titles, dignities, and various good qualities, followed by a train of sedan chairs, filled with mourners, with numberless attendants bringing up the rear. The beauty of the coloring in these drawings is unsurpassable, and an extraordinary likeness is preserved in the faces, from the newly-born infant to the silver-haired dying mandarin.

We now turn to the second, and less pleasing

series, viz., the opium smuggler and devotee. The boat of the opium smuggler has just received a chest of the drug on board; while a mandarin, or police boat is coming towards the smuggler. The second depicts the authorities on board the smuggler's boat, who bind him hand and foot, preparatory to throwing him into jail. In the third, the smuggler is in prison, emaciated and care-worn, his grey-haired father weeping, whilst his mother clings to his neck, as the jailer attempts to part her from the opium smuggler, her child, who has been tried, and condemned to death, for violating the laws of his country. The fourth painting represents the place of public execution, the ground reeking with blood, headless trunks on the earth, whilst the gory heads with staring eyeballs, are scattered about; the opium smuggler is on his knees before the executioner, who is preparing to strangle him; and entreats that he may be allowed to warn his brother (who stands looking on), to shun the foreign devils, who by introducing opium into China have brought him to this untimely end. The whole of the accessories appertaining to each epoch, or stage, are most faithfully delineated, and the backgrounds are stippled in with extreme care and delicacy.

The opium devotee, although less painfully revolting than the last series, alas! is too faithful a type of the misery invariably attendant upon this vice. The first picture portrays a young man, in the full vigour of health, who has just come into his father's estate, and is giving orders to various traders. The second depicts the young man in his new residence,