George Chinnery Auction Prices and Value Guide
George Chinnery auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 590 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
George Chinnery auction prices: quick answer
George Chinnery auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- George Chinnery
- Source records
- 590
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About George Chinnery
George Chinnery (1774–1852) was an English painter and draftsman who became one of the most important Western artists working in Asia during the early nineteenth century. Born in London, he trained there before moving to Ireland briefly, then sailed for India around 1797. In Calcutta he established a flourishing practice as a portrait painter to the colonial elite, but mounting debts drove him to relocate to Macau on the South China coast in 1825. He remained there until his death, producing portraits of European and Chinese merchants, vivid street scenes, and landscape studies of the Pearl River Delta. Chinnery's work provides a rare firsthand Western pictorial record of South China coastal life at the height of the Canton trade era. His paintings and drawings are held by major institutions including Tate and are extensively documented in the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD) and the Library of Congress.
China Trade paintingBritish colonial art in India and South Chinaoil paintinggouachewatercolorink and wash drawingportraits of European and Chinese merchants and officialsMacau and Canton street scenes and landscapesPearl River Delta harbor views and coastal scenesdomestic interiors and scenes of daily life in South China
Common works and media
Common work types include oil-on-canvas portraits of merchants, colonial officials, and their families; watercolor and gouache landscapes of Macau, Canton, and the Pearl River Delta; ink-and-wash drawings capturing street life, markets, and domestic interiors; miniature portraits on ivory or vellum; and sketchbook pages with figure studies. Works on paper (drawings, watercolors, and sketches) appear more frequently at auction than finished oil paintings.
Market and appraisal context
George Chinnery's works appear regularly at international auction, with over 590 tracked lots across major salerooms. Finished oil portraits of identifiable merchants and officials tend to attract the strongest bidding, especially lots tied to well-known trading families of the Canton and Macau era. Works on paper — including ink-and-wash street scenes and watercolor landscapes — represent a growing collector segment. Attribution requires care because Chinnery's style was widely imitated by other China-trade painters; documented provenance and comparison with museum-held examples are essential. Condition, subject matter, sale venue, and the presence of exhibition or publication history all influence realized prices.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Appraisal caveats
- Attribution can be difficult because Chinnery's distinctive style was widely copied by other Western artists working in the China trade. Provenance and expert comparison to museum-held works are essential.
- Market prices can vary significantly between London/Hong Kong sales and regional auctions; comparable lots should be drawn from similar venues and timeframes.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- RKD (Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie) library authority
- VIAF (Virtual International Authority File) library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- Tate museum or university
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
Data basis
This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
Artist value FAQ
How much is George Chinnery worth?
Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.
Can Appraisily value my George Chinnery artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.