[title not known] 

Curator: This is a quick sketch by George Chinnery, dating from his time in Macau. It's currently known as '[title not known]' and kept at the Tate. Editor: It’s wonderfully ephemeral, like a memory fading into the sepia tones of time. There's an almost dreamlike quality. Curator: Chinnery was a fascinating character, dodging debtors in India and then setting up shop in Macau. His art is full of the complexities of colonial life. Editor: Look at the delicate lines outlining the church facade, the way the figures are almost ghost-like. What does it say about power, about presence, about absence in a colonial context? Curator: Perhaps it’s about capturing a place in flux, a fleeting moment on the edge of empires? Editor: Possibly. The sketchiness emphasizes the tenuous grip of colonial powers, the impermanence of architectural and political structures. It is less about grandeur, more about transience. Curator: Yes, it’s a reminder that even the most imposing structures are just sketches in the grand scheme of things. Editor: A powerful thought to take with us.