1°william Alexander (1767-1816) View Of One Of The Western Gates Of The City Of Pekin J.dadley

[embassyof Macartney] [China]

1°William Alexander (1767-1816) View of one of the Western Gates of the City of Pekin

engraved by John Dadley (1767-1817)

London published 12 april 1796 by George Nicol (1740?-1828)

Filigree in paper: 1794and a symbol

Subject: 23.8 x 35.4 cm . Plate : 29.3 x 39 cm. Sheet : 39.8 x 52.2 cm

William Alexander (1767-1816)

from a set of Six etchings illustrating a voyage to China in 1792-1794 : Peking, the Great Wall, the gardens of the Imperial Palace...etc.each engraved by a different engraver, from drawings by William Alexander

British painter, illustrator and engraverin 1792, William Alexander accompanied a diplomatic mission led by Lord Macartney to China for 2 years, producing several hundred drawings and watercolors that were to become Europe's first
of a vision of China. In particular, he was able to penetrate into the interior of the country and to Peking. This diplomatic mission was the subject of a report published in 1797 by Sir George Staunton, illustrated with engravings inspired by William Alexander's drawings.

In 1805 William Alexander published "Thecostume of China" adorned with 48 illustrations.

https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/dis covery/history-stories/shaping-an-image-of-china-in-the-west-william-alexander-1767-1816/

All these engravings are antique, late 18th century, on wove paper, some have a watermark , and are in good condition. Their publication was carried out by the bookseller George Nicol in London in 1796.

Rare, they are amongst the earliest visual representations of China in the West..

Bibliography: Abstract of thesisentitled Negotiating Art and Commerce in William Alexander'sIllustrated Books on China Submitted by Zhu Wenqi For the degree o fMaster of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong in July 2021

Images of China in the West are a fascinating and complex subject that has caugh ...