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The image shows a man seated sideways at a wooden table. He is leaning slightly forward, facing towards the viewer, with one hand on the table and the other holding a pipe. The man has a receding hairline, with hair pulled back into a bun. He wears a light blue tunic, light-colored pants, and slip-on shoes in a matching blue. On the table is an open container and a model or garden layout. The background is plain.
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The image shows a man seated sideways at a wooden table. He is leaning slightly forward, facing towards the viewer, with one hand on the table and the other holding a pipe. The man has a receding hairline, with hair pulled back into a bun. He wears a light blue tunic, light-colored pants, and slip-on shoes in a matching blue. On the table is an open container and a model or garden layout. The background is plain.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Chinese Peasant Selling Betel

William Alexander

Date
1793/1794
Medium
watercolor with pen and black ink over graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
sheet: 14 x 20.4 cm (5 1/2 x 8 1/16 in.) mount: 21.4 x 26.4 cm (8 7/16 x 10 3/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2009.70.10
Credit line
Joseph F. McCrindle Collection
Time span
1776 to 1800
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Seated figure
  • Chair
  • Table
  • Food
  • Man
Provenance

(P. & D. Colnaghi & Co. Ltd., London). Joseph F. McCrindle [1923-2008], New York; Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation, 2008; gift to NGA, 2009.

Inscription

by artist, upper right in pencil: This box filled with a powdered lime to be also on the table (accompanied by small pencil drawing of a box).; by unknown hand on mat: A man selling betel. / The additional box sketched in in the drawing has been included; by unknown hand on mat, lower right in pencil: [L?] 12.

NGA object ID 143722. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.