Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.10738
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‘Cochin-chinese soldier’
Date
1806
Creator
Thomas Medland (1755 - 1827, British) , Engraver
After
William Alexander (1767 - 1816, British) , Painter
Object type
Library reference
26670
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 276mm
width (print): 212mm
width (print): 212mm
Subject
Description
Portrait of a Vietnamese soldier in a landscape with other figures.
Plate 13 from the book A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793...to which is annexed an account of a journey, made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation...southern Africa...by John Barrow (London, 1806).
Printed below: “Drawn by W.Alexander Engraved by T.Medland Cochin-chinese Soldier. Published June 4, 1806, by Messrs.Cadell & Davies, Strand, London”.
John Barrow’s voyage to southern Vietnam (Cochinchina) was undertaken as the preliminary to Lord Macartney’s Embassy to China. In a section describing the character of the Vietnamese Emperor Gia Long [Caung-shung] (1762-1820) the text concludes with notes on his army: “What the quality of these troops may be...I cannot pretend to say; but those few which fell under our observation were active and vigorous young men...In general, a handkerchief tied about the head, somewhat in the shape of a turban, a loose smock frock, with a pair of drawers, constitute the dress of a soldier, as in the annexed figure which is an accurate portrait taken from life.”
John Barrow (1764-1848) was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1805.
Plate 13 from the book A voyage to Cochinchina, in the years 1792 and 1793...to which is annexed an account of a journey, made in the years 1801 and 1802, to the residence of the chief of the Booshuana nation...southern Africa...by John Barrow (London, 1806).
Printed below: “Drawn by W.Alexander Engraved by T.Medland Cochin-chinese Soldier. Published June 4, 1806, by Messrs.Cadell & Davies, Strand, London”.
John Barrow’s voyage to southern Vietnam (Cochinchina) was undertaken as the preliminary to Lord Macartney’s Embassy to China. In a section describing the character of the Vietnamese Emperor Gia Long [Caung-shung] (1762-1820) the text concludes with notes on his army: “What the quality of these troops may be...I cannot pretend to say; but those few which fell under our observation were active and vigorous young men...In general, a handkerchief tied about the head, somewhat in the shape of a turban, a loose smock frock, with a pair of drawers, constitute the dress of a soldier, as in the annexed figure which is an accurate portrait taken from life.”
John Barrow (1764-1848) was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1805.
Associated place