Winnie Wong's 2026 Book Reexamines Anonymous Canton Trade Portraitists
In her upcoming 2026 publication, 'The Many Names of Anonymity: Portraitists of the Canton Trade,' art historian Winnie Wong delves into the creation of portraits in southern China during the 18th and 19th centuries, specifically within the context of the Qing dynasty's Canton system. Released by the University of Chicago Press, the book challenges traditional Western perceptions of artistic agency, advocating for the term 'Canton trade painting' over 'Asian export art.' Wong brings attention to artists such as Chit Qua and Lam Qua, whose identities are often obscured due to variations in spelling. Their works, including reverse glass paintings and intricate portraits for foreign merchants, are analyzed, linking Lam Qua's art to Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres and highlighting the interchange between Eastern and Western art.
Key facts
- Winnie Wong's book 'The Many Names of Anonymity: Portraitists of the Canton Trade' was published in 2026.
- The book examines portrait production during the 18th and 19th centuries under the Canton system in Guangzhou.
- Artists discussed include Chit Qua, Chin Qua, Spoilum, Lam Qua, and Ting Qua.
- Wong proposes 'Canton trade painting' as an alternative to the term 'Asian export art'.
- The University of Chicago Press published the book.
- Wong's research involved forensic analysis of archives under Western and Chinese imperial contexts.
- The book critiques the 1843 observations of French colonial delegate M. Charles Hubert Lavollée.
- Wong's methodology builds on her earlier 2013 book 'Van Gogh on Demand: China and the Readymade'.
Entities
Artists
- Winnie Wong
- Chit Qua
- Chin Qua
- Spoilum
- Lam Qua
- Ting Qua
- Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
- M. Charles Hubert Lavollée
- Louis Manigault
- Charles Manigault
Institutions
- University of Chicago Press
- Harvard Art Museums
Locations
- Guangzhou
- China
- Southern China