Polite Music Gallery2-A Family Group around a Piano

A Family Group around a Piano

George Chinnery (1774–1852)
A Family Group around a Piano
ca. 1812–1825
Pen and ink and graphite 

George Chinnery was a larger-than-life figure who traveled across the British Empire in search of patronage to support his extravagant lifestyle. Flamboyantly sociable, his portraits and conversation pieces in oil flatter their sitters through the use of bravura brushwork and bold colors. In 1802, following the chaotic collapse of his marriage, Chinnery set sail for India and worked there until 1841, when he moved to Macau. He made a living through the sale of portraits and Indian landscapes, and also taught wealthy amateurs such as the East India Company official Sir Charles D’Oyly (whose work can also be seen in this encounter). In this deftly handled sketch, Chinnery depicts a scene of colonial music making in India. 

YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART, PAUL MELLON COLLECTION 

B1977.14.4179