Sampan 18th-19th century

Editor: This is George Chinnery's "Sampan," we don't have a date for it. It's a small sketch, and the strokes feel so immediate. What strikes you about its composition? Curator: The linear precision used to define the boat against the undifferentiated background prompts an interesting reading. Notice how the artist uses hatching to create tonal variation, giving volume to the figures and the boat's canopy. Editor: So, it's all about the lines and how they define the forms? Curator: Precisely. The spatial relationships are created purely through line and tone, a deliberate choice by the artist to emphasize form over naturalistic representation. Editor: I hadn't considered that, focusing on line rather than realism. Thanks! Curator: A valuable insight indeed.