William Alexander 1767-1816

George, Earl of Macartney;
Anonymous sale in these Rooms, 22nd March 1979, lot 148

Lord Macartney's Embassy to the Chinese Emperor Ch'ien-Lung in 1792-1794 was the first attempt by Britain to establish diplomatic relations with China.  The East Indiaman Hindostan which carried, amongst others, Macartney's draughtsman, William Alexander and his secretary, Sir G.L.Staunton, arrived at Touron bay on the evening of 26th May 1793.  On 3rd June 1793 a number of important Chinese dignataries visited the ship and William Alexander recorded in his Journal: 'This morning a Mandarin from court...came on board to see our ship...with another of inferior rank who sat a few minutes while I made a slight sketch of him...I persevered in keeping the sketch so he went out in a huff' (S.Legouix, Image of China - William Alexander, 1980, p.9)