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Flower boat (Shagu, boat for prostitutes): 4170.1

An image of Drawing
View image details Mirador icon - view image Mirador deep zoom IIIF Manifest IIIF Manifest Slow looking

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An image of Drawing
An image of Drawing
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Flower boat (Shagu, boat for prostitutes)

Maker(s)

Youqua

Entities

Categories

Description

This is a type of pleasure boat in Canton, and the girls in these boats are prostitutes. The name "shagu" (sand lady) could have been derived from the sand boats that ply the rivers. These boats are heavily ornamented and thus referred as "flower boats". In the painting, there are two men, presumably the clients. A woman was sending out one of them while the other waits inside the boat. Such flower boats are usually depicted with green window panels showing patterned openings. Previously described as "flower boat".

Measurements and weight

Height: 250 mm
Width: 337 mm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1909) by Bothamley, Rev. H.

Dating

19th Century
Circa 1840 - Circa 1870

School or Style

Chinese
Chinese export art
Chinese export watercolour

Materials used in production

Watercolour
Bodycolour
White highlights
Ink

Components of the work

Support composed of pith paper

Techniques used in production

Drawing : Watercolour, bodycolour and ink with heightening in white on pith paper, laid down with with strips of blue silk-covered paper

Identification numbers

Accession number: 4170.1
Primary reference Number: 185602

Audit data

Created: Wednesday 5 October 2011 Updated: Thursday 23 January 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Flower boat (Shagu, boat for prostitutes)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/185602 Accessed: 2025-12-06 10:39:39

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/185602 |title=Flower boat (Shagu, boat for prostitutes) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 10:39:39|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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