Chinese junk at anchor

This painting shows a Chinese junk at anchor, probably outside a trading port in China, perhaps Canton. The ships were used for trade with Southeast Asia and other areas, transporting rattan, bamboo, tea, tin, lead, sago, salt, porcelain, and other goods. The large bird near the sun on the stern is likely the mythical phoenix (feng huang). At right is a structure on land, possibly a fort. Produced largely for visiting tourists and foreign traders, these works were known as China trade paintings, and were popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. They were produced by local and foreign artists, working in a Western style, to appeal to the market.

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