Description
William Alexander was an English draftsman and watercolorist. He was admitted to the Royal Academy at age 17. From 1792 to 1794 he accompanied Lord George Macartney’s official embassy on behalf of the British government to Beijing, where he documented the visit and made drawings of the Chinese court. In 1802 he was named professor of drawing at the Royal Military School, and later served as curator of drawings and prints at the British Museum. Today his watercolors of China are in museums in Manchester, England and Dublin, Ireland.
The prints were engraved after William Alexander by various engravers: William Lowry engraved the view of the Palace of Yuen-Min-Yuen, James Heath the scene from a Chinese play, and J. Pass the picture of the military post.
References:
“A Chinese Military Post.”. British Government Art Collection. 2005. http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/search/Object.asp?object_key=23477 (8 February 2006).
“A Front View of the Hall of Audience at the Palace of Yuen-Min-Yuen.” British Government Art Collection. 2005. http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/search/Object.asp?object_key=11308 (8 February 2006).
“A Scene in an Historical Play exhibited on the Chinese Stage.” British Government Art Collection. 2005. http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/search/Object.asp?object_key=22730 (8 February 2006).
Benezit, E. Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs et Graveurs. France: Librarie Gründ, 1966. Vol. 1, p. 94,
“Series 62: Papers concerning publication of the account of Lord Macartney’s Embassy to China, ca 1797.” State Library of New South Wales. 18 August 2005. (8 February 2006).
