In the mid-eighteenth century, important changes were under way in the East Asian maritime world. The Portuguese had lost considerable ground to the Dutch, and more important in the long run, the British presence in the region was growing. British ambitions were centered on India, but the British were also determined to expand their trade with China. In the 1830s, this determination would lead to war and a humiliating defeat for the Chinese. In the 1740s and 1750s, however, the Chinese could still treat the British as just another group of foreigners who hoped to grow rich buying and selling Chinese goods. In this illustration from Anson’s Voyage Round the World, we see the British naval commander and adventurer George Anson in the presence of the viceroy of Canton. As you examine the image, pay particular attention to the relationship between the British visitors and their Chinese host. How did the artist want viewers to see Anson and his party? How did he want them to see the viceroy and his subordinates?
