Seeds of Exchange: Canton and London in the 1700s

Delightful exhibition at the Garden Museum exploring a botanical collaboration in the 18th century to collect seeds and botanical specimens from China.

John Bradby Blake travelled to China as a supercargo (my fact of the day), a commercial agent overseeing cargo and trade employed by the British East India Company. While living there he worked with Chinese experts to documents 138 plants native to China, Whang at Tong, an expert on plants and Mak Sau, am artist.

The show included lots of Mak Sau's beautiful detailed botanical studies often done over a number of months so he could record the full cycle of a plant. These were shown with extensive archive material from Blake's archive which was brought back to England by Whang at Tong on his death.

I loved two portraits of Whang at Tong by Reynolds from his time in England and his presence dominated the show.

Closed 10 May 2026

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