Pearl River Collection

The nine-storey Whampoa Pagoda, Pearl River (bodycolour on paper)
941036 The nine-storey Whampoa Pagoda, Pearl River (bodycolour on paper) by Tingqua (c.1809-after 1870) (studio of); 19.1x26.7 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Chinese

CHINA: MERCHANTs HOME. The house of a Chinese merchant in the suburbs of Canton. Steel engraving, English, 1843, after a drawing by Thomas Allom

CHINA: WHAMPOA ISLAND, 1843. A view of Whampoa (or Changzhou) Island as seen from Danes Island, at the mouth of the Pearl River near Canton, China

View on a River near Canton, 1834. Creator: Samuel Prout
View on a River near Canton, 1834. From "Views in India, China and on the Shores of the Red Sea, Vol. II". [Fisher, Son & Co. London, 1835]

A Chinese Junk. - Canton River, 1835. Creator: Samuel Prout
A Chinese Junk. - Canton River, 1835. From "Views in India, China and on the Shores of the Red Sea, Vol. II". [Fisher, Son & Co. London, 1835]

Historical map of the Pearl River Delta, woodcut, published 1897
Historical map of the mouth of the Pearl River Delta (Zhujiang) with the locations of Guangzhou (Canton), Macau and Hong Kong at the end of the 19th century. Wood engraving, published in 1897

Guangzhou, China skyline on the Pearl River at dusk

Macau, China cityscape on Nam Van Lake

View of Shanghai at Lujiazui finance and business district trade zone skyscraper in morning, Shanghai China

Guangzhou, China skyline on the river at dusk

Shanghai skyline cityscape, View of shanghai at Lujiazui finance and business district trade zone skyscraper in morning Shanghai skyline cityscape

Guangzhou, China river skyline guangzhou, tower, canton, downtown, landmark, night, guanzhou, liede, zhujiang, destination, rises, river, travel, chinese, view, business, central, urban, cantonese

Macau, China cityscape at twilight on Nam Van Lake

A Canton Trading Junk, c. 1868. Creator: John Thomson
A Canton Trading Junk, c. 1868. A work made of collotype, pl. viii from the album " illustrations of china and its people, volume i" (1873)

Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain)
3743370 Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain) by Chinese School, Qing Dynasty - Qianlong Period (1735-96)

On the banks of the Pearl River, water-side scenes at Canton (b / w photo)
6003719 On the banks of the Pearl River, water-side scenes at Canton (b/w photo) by European Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: On the banks of the Pearl River)

Canton, the home of a swarming amphibious population (b / w photo)
6003692 Canton, the home of a swarming amphibious population (b/w photo) by European Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Canton)

Dahuangjiao Fort, Pearl River (bodycolour on paper)
941035 Dahuangjiao Fort, Pearl River (bodycolour on paper) by Tingqua (c.1809-after 1870) (studio of); 19.1x26.7 cm; Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; Chinese, out of copyright

American Concession Grounds and Pearl River, Canton, c. 1880s (b / w photo)
701931 American Concession Grounds and Pearl River, Canton, c.1880s (b/w photo) by European Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Photograph taken during the voyage of H.M.S)

Flower Boat, Canton, c. 1880s (b / w photo)
498649 Flower Boat, Canton, c.1880s (b/w photo) by European Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Until the 1930 s)

Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain)
3743374 Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain) by Chinese School, Qing Dynasty - Qianlong Period (1735-96)

Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain)
3743372 Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain) by Chinese School, Qing Dynasty - Qianlong Period (1735-96)

The Colquhoun Expedition through Southern China, Scenes on the Canton River, II (engraving)
1061214 The Colquhoun Expedition through Southern China, Scenes on the Canton River, II (engraving) by Boot, William Henry James (1848-1918) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Saving the bridge across Pearl River, April 1863 (engraving)
959267 Saving the bridge across Pearl River, April 1863 (engraving) by American School, (19th century) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Saving the bridge across Pearl River, April 1863)

Dutch Folly Fort, Canton River (engraving)
729186 Dutch Folly Fort, Canton River (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Dutch Folly Fort, Canton River)

Wham Poa Pagoda, with boats sailing in front, from A Picturesque Journey to India
489244 Wham Poa Pagoda, with boats sailing in front, from A Picturesque Journey to India, by the Way of China, 1810 (colour litho) by Daniell

Sandwich Islands (engraving)
1620879 Sandwich Islands (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Sandwich Islands. Illustration for The Illustrated London News, 16 August 1873)

Near Canton, Fishing-Boats on the Pearl River (colour litho)
3624228 Near Canton, Fishing-Boats on the Pearl River (colour litho) by Liddell, Thomas Hodgson (1860-1925); Private Collection; (add.info.: Near Canton, Fishing-Boats on the Pearl River)

A street of boats on the Pearl River at Canton (b / w photo)
6003713 A street of boats on the Pearl River at Canton (b/w photo) by European Photographer, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A street of boats on the Pearl River at Canton)

Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain)
3743373 Punch bowl painted with warehouses or Hongs, Canton (Guangzhou), 1736-95 (porcelain) by Chinese School, Qing Dynasty - Qianlong Period (1735-96)

The Colquhoun-Wahab Expedition through Southern China, Scenes on the Canton River (engraving)
1061120 The Colquhoun-Wahab Expedition through Southern China, Scenes on the Canton River (engraving) by Boot, William Henry James (1848-1918) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

Augustine Heard & Co. Steamer Kinshan, 1865. Creator: Sylvester Dutton
Augustine Heard & Co. Steamer " Kinshan", 1865

Boats on the Pearl River, Canton, China, 1898. Creator: Christian Wilhelm Allers
Boats on the Pearl River, Canton, China, 1898. Flower-boats and warehouses in the busy port city. Blumenboote, Am Flussufer in Canton, Pfandthurm

Scene on the river at Canton, China, c1840

Looking down the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) at Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1900. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Looking down the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) at Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1900. Stereoscopic slide

The Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) at Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1902. Artist: CH Graves
The Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) at Canton (Guangzhou), China, 1902. Stereoscopic slide

Young woman in Canton rowing a sampan
Chinese girl rowing a sampan on the Pearl River, Canton, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

view along Pearl River of city skyline from Yacht Club, Guangzhou, China
View along Pearl River of city skyline from Yacht Club, Guangzhou, China

View of the Rapids of the Chu-Kiang, Canton, or Pearl River

View of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, Canton China, Anonymous, 1771

person on smarphone, view along Pearl River of city skyline from Yacht Club, Guangzhou, China

luxury condominiums, view along Pearl River of city skyline from Yacht Club, Guangzhou, China

early morning view of Jiefang Bridge, Pearl River, Guangzhou, China

CHINA: CANTON WATERFRONT. View of foreign factories on the waterfront at Canton, China. Oil painting, mid 19th century

Boats in the Pearl River off Canton, China. Oil, c1845
CHINA: CANTON, c1845. Boats in the Pearl River off Canton, China. Oil, c1845

Painted fan depicting the foreign factories on the waterfront at Canton, China, c1825
CHINA: PAINTED TRAY, c1825. Painted fan depicting the foreign factories on the waterfront at Canton, China, c1825

View of the Rapids of the Chu-Kiang, Canton, or Pearl River

CHINA: BOCCA TIGRIS, 1831. HMS Imogene and Andromache exchanging fire with Chinese forts in the Bocca Tigris, at the mouth of the Pearl River, on their way to Canton, China, 7 September 1831

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"Exploring the Pearl River: A Glimpse into China's Merchant History" Step back in time to the bustling suburbs of Canton, where a Chinese merchant's home stood proudly amidst the vibrant streets. This steel engraving from 1843, based on Thomas Allom's drawing, offers a glimpse into the life of these influential traders. As we delve deeper into history, a woodcut map published in 1897 reveals the intricate network of waterways that make up the Pearl River Delta, and is through these channels that countless trading junks sailed, connecting Canton with distant lands. One such junk comes to life in John Thomson's captivating photograph from around 1868. Its sails billow against an ever-changing sky as it navigates its way along the Pearl River – a symbol of commerce and cultural exchange. Porcelain punch bowls painted with warehouses or Hongs transport us further into Guangzhou's past. These exquisite pieces crafted between 1736-95 tell tales of trade and opulence, reminding us of Canton's significance as a hub for international merchants. Black and white photographs capture scenes along the banks of the Pearl River - glimpses into daily life at this thriving waterfront city. The images reveal swarming populations engaging in various activities, showcasing both their resilience and adaptability. Rising above it all stands Whampoa Pagoda – an architectural marvel soaring nine stories high. Painted delicately on paper, this bodycolour depiction transports us to another era when pagodas dotted Guangzhou’s skyline. Further downstream lies Dahuangjiao Fort; its imposing presence guarding against potential threats while reflecting China’s military prowess during times gone by. The fort serves as a testament to Guangzhou’s strategic importance within maritime trade routes. Intriguingly captured in black and white photos from c1880s are American Concession Grounds alongside views itself - snapshots frozen in time that offer a glimpse into the city's evolving landscape.