Period:Unknown Production date:1791 (March)
Materials:canvas
Technique:painted
Subjects:chief/chieftain vessel arms/armour personal-ornament
Dimensions:Height: 90 centimetres Width: 60 centimetres
Description:
Framed painting of an adult male and two adult females, Republic of Palau. Oil on canvas
IMG
![图片[1]-oil painting BM-Oc2006-Ptg.23-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Unknown/Paintings/mid_01244221_001.jpg)
![图片[2]-oil painting BM-Oc2006-Ptg.23-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Unknown/Paintings/mid_Palau_painting_AT_full_back.jpg)
Comments:In 1790, Captain John McCluer, on a surveying voyage for the East India Company, visited Palau (Pelew) a group of islands at the western end of the Carolines. In 1791 he was accompanied from there on his voyage to Macau by three inhabitants: a ‘Prince’ and two women. (They were later returned, 10th June 1791.) An account of the voyage and of this painting can be found in Rodrigue Levesque (ed), History of Micronesia, A collection of source documents, (2000), Vol. 15, p. 620 ‘Extracts from McCluer’s actual logbook of the voyage’. The original logbook is in the British Library Add. Ms. 19 301. p. 620 records “The famous painter Spoilem came down to Macao [from Canton] at my request; his terms, was [rather were] to be ensured 50 dollars for his trip. This sum I gave him for a picture of myself and the three Palou people in a group, this piece I hope is already in your possession which I left with Mr Freeman to be sent home by the Ships of next season. This piece was judged to be a striking likeness of every one in the group, and the Palou were much pleased with their own resemblance. Mr Harrison and several of the Gentlemen had a copy of the three people, so that Spoilem had a deal of work upon his hands that instead of 50 he got about 500 Dollars by his trip, as every Gentleman on board of us had their phiz. taken, in miniature.”Spoilum (also referred to as Spoilem, Spillem), of whom little is known, unusually for a Chinese artist produced accomplished portraits of westerners in oil on canvas. It is not known how the Museum acquired this copy but it also possesses a pencil drawing of the group (Oc-Dr128-Ano) which is inscribed in pencil “Blackmore Museum, Salisbury”. The Blackmore Museum was broken up in the 1930s and some items came to the British Museum.It is noticeable that the three heads, which appear to be good likenesses, are much larger than the bodies which, together with the landscape, may be by another, lesser, artist. Illustrated in J.C.H. King (ed), ‘Human Image’, London, British Museum Press, 2000, p.49Several portraits of the three Palauans were made for John McCluer’s officers. One was sent to Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, Professor of anatomy at Gottingen (circa 1776).The young man in the painting is believed to be Kockywack, and adopted son of Abba Thulle. He joined McCluer on board the Panther bound for Macau, arriving on 2nd March and leaving again on 10th June 1791. Abba Thulle, ruler of Koror, Palau, selected Kockywock and a young woman to accompany the voyage. Capt John McCluer selected a second young woman to keep the first company. No names have been recorded of the two women. See Peacock, D. J. 1987. Lee Boo of Belau, A Prince in London. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press p.131-132, 160
Materials:canvas
Technique:painted
Subjects:chief/chieftain vessel arms/armour personal-ornament
Dimensions:Height: 90 centimetres Width: 60 centimetres
Description:
Framed painting of an adult male and two adult females, Republic of Palau. Oil on canvas
IMG
Comments:In 1790, Captain John McCluer, on a surveying voyage for the East India Company, visited Palau (Pelew) a group of islands at the western end of the Carolines. In 1791 he was accompanied from there on his voyage to Macau by three inhabitants: a ‘Prince’ and two women. (They were later returned, 10th June 1791.) An account of the voyage and of this painting can be found in Rodrigue Levesque (ed), History of Micronesia, A collection of source documents, (2000), Vol. 15, p. 620 ‘Extracts from McCluer’s actual logbook of the voyage’. The original logbook is in the British Library Add. Ms. 19 301. p. 620 records “The famous painter Spoilem came down to Macao [from Canton] at my request; his terms, was [rather were] to be ensured 50 dollars for his trip. This sum I gave him for a picture of myself and the three Palou people in a group, this piece I hope is already in your possession which I left with Mr Freeman to be sent home by the Ships of next season. This piece was judged to be a striking likeness of every one in the group, and the Palou were much pleased with their own resemblance. Mr Harrison and several of the Gentlemen had a copy of the three people, so that Spoilem had a deal of work upon his hands that instead of 50 he got about 500 Dollars by his trip, as every Gentleman on board of us had their phiz. taken, in miniature.”Spoilum (also referred to as Spoilem, Spillem), of whom little is known, unusually for a Chinese artist produced accomplished portraits of westerners in oil on canvas. It is not known how the Museum acquired this copy but it also possesses a pencil drawing of the group (Oc-Dr128-Ano) which is inscribed in pencil “Blackmore Museum, Salisbury”. The Blackmore Museum was broken up in the 1930s and some items came to the British Museum.It is noticeable that the three heads, which appear to be good likenesses, are much larger than the bodies which, together with the landscape, may be by another, lesser, artist. Illustrated in J.C.H. King (ed), ‘Human Image’, London, British Museum Press, 2000, p.49Several portraits of the three Palauans were made for John McCluer’s officers. One was sent to Johann Friedrich Blumenbach, Professor of anatomy at Gottingen (circa 1776).The young man in the painting is believed to be Kockywack, and adopted son of Abba Thulle. He joined McCluer on board the Panther bound for Macau, arriving on 2nd March and leaving again on 10th June 1791. Abba Thulle, ruler of Koror, Palau, selected Kockywock and a young woman to accompany the voyage. Capt John McCluer selected a second young woman to keep the first company. No names have been recorded of the two women. See Peacock, D. J. 1987. Lee Boo of Belau, A Prince in London. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press p.131-132, 160
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![[Qing Dynasty] British female painter—Elizabeth Keith, using woodblock prints to record China from the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China—1915-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/image-191x300.png)
