Painting Punishment by beheading

The first picture from an album of Chinese paintings depicting various forms of punishment in the Qing Dynasty, showing the beheading of two convicts. These kinds of paintings, which depicted various aspects of Chinese society, were very popular with foreign tourists. When Western European countries forced China to open its ports and trade more freely after the Opium Wars in the mid-19th century, the number of visitors of different professions (soldiers, sailors, merchants, missionaries and travellers) increased. Travel became more affordable and opened the door to members of the middle class, who increasingly felt the need to buy souvenirs and other items to take home when they returned. Artists in Canton had a centuries-old tradition of producing works of art destined for the Western market, such as paintings on canvas and paper and a variety of glass and ivory products, but these were more expensive to produce and therefore could only be purchased by wealthier ship captains and merchants. Cheaper souvenirs were needed, and these smaller paintings on papyrus of the native tree tongcao 通草 (Tetrapanax papyrifer) proved to be a successful combination of affordable yet attractive souvenirs relating to various aspects of Chinese society. (NVS)