The European Factories, Canton

William Daniell, 1769–1837

1806

Oil on canvas

Yale Center for British Art

A wide river is filled with numerous boats of various sizes, from large sailing vessels to smaller sampans, with a long, grand building lining the far bank under a hazy sky. The city of Canton was the center of Chinese trade, attracting merchants from around the world to buy tea and porcelain, among other sought- after goods. William Daniell visited Canton on his way to India in 1785 and again on his return trip to Britain in 1794. He must have been struck by the rows of national flags marking each foreign trading post, or “factory.” When he painted this scene twelve years later, he updated the details, adding an American flag between the Swedish and French ones. Local and European boats highlight the port’s bustling commercial activity. Daniell based his image on sketches he had made on the spot, while