Chinese Watercolours Spice up British Library
Eight watercolours by an anonymous Chinese artist, created in the late 19th century, are now available to view on the Online Gallery. These historic paintings are botanical illustrations of spices (such as the Clove shown above), the most coveted commodity Asia had to offer the West in the 1800's, aside from opium.
Curator of South East Asia Collections, Annabel Gallop, commented,
"They are part of the Raffles Family Collection, which we were able to acquire as a result of a successful fundraising campaign. The Collection contains over 150 natural history and topographical drawings from Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as family correspondence and papers, and an important collection of diplomatic letters."
I have had a lifelong love of books and feel that the British Library is an inspiring place and well worthy of support, particularly at a time when funding for the arts in general appears to be under threat.
Andrew Pearson, Adopt a Book Supporter
I cannot remember a time when books were not central to my life. The BL is guardian of a priceless common heritage which can enrich the lives of future generations, as it has done for us. Cherish the verbal record in good times and bad!
Michael Coates-Smith