Tan-Che-Qua
Encyclopedia
Tan-Che-Qua (fl.1769-1772, died 1796?) was a Chinese artist who visited England from 1769 to 1772. He exhibited his work at the Royal Academy
in 1770, and his clay models became fashionable in London for a short period, but returned to China in 1772. After the merchant Loum Kiqua in 1756-7, and the Christian convert Michael Shen Fuzong in 1687, Tan-Che-Qua is one of the earliest Chinese people known to have visited England.
Already in his middle years, Tan-Che-Qua arrived in London from Canton in August 1769 on the East Indiaman Horsendon. The Chinese authorities had given him permission to travel to Batavia
(now Jakarta), but he came to England instead. He lived in lodgings on the Strand
, where he worked as a clay modeller, creating busts and small statutes. The only known surviving example of his work is a figurine of physician Anthony Askew
, held by the Royal College of Physicians
.
He attended meetings at the Royal Academy of Arts, and exhibited work there in 1770.
He was included in a group portrait of the Royal Academicians by Johann Zoffany
; a portrait of Tan-Che-Qua, thought to be the one exhibited by John Hamilton Mortimer
at the annual exhibition of the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1771, is held by the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. The portrait was misidentified as Wang-y-tong
, another Chinese visitor to London in the 1770s, who attended meetings of the Royal Society. He was also sketched by Charles Grignion.
He boarded the East Indiaman Grenville in March 1771 intending to return to China, but after a series of accidents the crew took against him and he disembarked at Deal, Kent
. He returned to China in 1772. The Gentleman's Magazine reported that he committed suicide in Canton in the mid-1790s.
Sir William Chambers
used his name - Tan Chet-qua - for the narrator of his Explanatory Discourse by Tan Chet-qua, of Quang-Chew-fu, Gent., an appendix to the second edition (1773) of his book on Chinese gardening, Dissertation on Oriental Gardening (1772), a fanciful elaboration of contemporary English ideas about the naturalistic style of gardening in China.
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1770, and his clay models became fashionable in London for a short period, but returned to China in 1772. After the merchant Loum Kiqua in 1756-7, and the Christian convert Michael Shen Fuzong in 1687, Tan-Che-Qua is one of the earliest Chinese people known to have visited England.
Already in his middle years, Tan-Che-Qua arrived in London from Canton in August 1769 on the East Indiaman Horsendon. The Chinese authorities had given him permission to travel to Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
(now Jakarta), but he came to England instead. He lived in lodgings on the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, where he worked as a clay modeller, creating busts and small statutes. The only known surviving example of his work is a figurine of physician Anthony Askew
Anthony Askew
Anthony Askew was an English physician and book collector.-Life and work:Askew was born in Kendal, Westmorland, the son of Dr. Adam Askew, a well-known physician of Newcastle. His early education was at Sedbergh School and The Royal Free Grammar School in Newcastle upon Tyne, where by all accounts...
, held by the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
.
He attended meetings at the Royal Academy of Arts, and exhibited work there in 1770.
He was included in a group portrait of the Royal Academicians by Johann Zoffany
Johann Zoffany
Johan Zoffany, Zoffani or Zauffelij was a German neoclassical painter, active mainly in England...
; a portrait of Tan-Che-Qua, thought to be the one exhibited by John Hamilton Mortimer
John Hamilton Mortimer
John Hamilton Mortimer was a British Neoclassical painter known primarily for his romantic paintings and pieces set in Italy and its countryside, various other works depicting conversations between people, and works drawn in the 1770s portraying war scenes, very similar to those of Salvator Rosa...
at the annual exhibition of the Incorporated Society of Artists in 1771, is held by the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. The portrait was misidentified as Wang-y-tong
Wang-y-tong
Wang-y-tong was a Chinese youth who visited England in the late 18th century...
, another Chinese visitor to London in the 1770s, who attended meetings of the Royal Society. He was also sketched by Charles Grignion.
He boarded the East Indiaman Grenville in March 1771 intending to return to China, but after a series of accidents the crew took against him and he disembarked at Deal, Kent
Deal, Kent
Deal is a town in Kent England. It lies on the English Channel eight miles north-east of Dover and eight miles south of Ramsgate. It is a former fishing, mining and garrison town...
. He returned to China in 1772. The Gentleman's Magazine reported that he committed suicide in Canton in the mid-1790s.
Sir William Chambers
William Chambers (architect)
Sir William Chambers was a Scottish architect, born in Gothenburg, Sweden, where his father was a merchant. Between 1740 and 1749 he was employed by the Swedish East India Company making several voyages to China where he studied Chinese architecture and decoration.Returning to Europe, he studied...
used his name - Tan Chet-qua - for the narrator of his Explanatory Discourse by Tan Chet-qua, of Quang-Chew-fu, Gent., an appendix to the second edition (1773) of his book on Chinese gardening, Dissertation on Oriental Gardening (1772), a fanciful elaboration of contemporary English ideas about the naturalistic style of gardening in China.