China has long been a source of inspiration and fascination for European artists. In this study session, we will take a close look at Cooper Hewitt’s holdings of chinoiserie and export drawings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, with a focus on works by Jean-Baptiste Pillement and George Chinnery. Pillement’s playful drawings of architecture, flora, and figures highlight the fantastic and romantic visions of China that populated the European imagination. In contrast to these fanciful representations, Chinnery’s sketchbook drawings—made during the artist’s travels to Macau—capture scenes and figures from daily life. In addition to these works, we will explore chinoiserie drawings and designs by various European artists, as well as examples of Chinese export gouaches.

An intimate look at the breathtaking sketches of Frederic Edwin Church (American, 1826-1900) at Cooper Hewitt. The premier artist of the Hudson River School, Church traveled widely in pursuit of close observation of the natural world and produced a remarkable body of working drawings. Together we will explore Church’s approach to documenting the majesty of […]