Macau and the Praya Grande, Looking North

Unknown artist
Macau, China, 1848–58
Oil on canvas
23 x 36 in.
Gift of William P. Dudley
1932.306

After the American Revolution, trade with China played a key role in the development of New England’s economy. New England ships took ginseng from the Appalachian Mountains or furs from the Pacific Northwest to sell in China; they returned with cargoes of silks, porcelain, tea, and luxury furnishings. Sets of paintings showing scenes along the Pearl River delta proved especially popular. This example depicts the harbor at Macau during the middle years of the China trade.