Featured Gilbert Stuart and cheap Chinese knock-offs

http://www.artnews.com/2009/10/01/the-many-faces-of-george-washington/

 

Great article. Thank you for posting it.

 

Interesting article. I'm reading it while I'm tired so may have misinterpreted.

The question that kept popping in my head while I was reading this. How did the Chinese get their hands on the original to copy it? We're talking late 1700s, early 1800s that the Chinese are doing reverse paintings, Correct?
If a portrait was commissioned, wouldn't whoever commissioned it have it in their possession? Are they going to ship it by boat to China for copying?

What did I miss?

 

When I first started reading, it had me wondering as well.
A little way down, it explains how it happened.

 

I wonder whether the Chinese copied other paintings in that era? Is this part of the historical background that led to the industry of "factory paintings" in China?

 

My impression is that they copied whatever they could.

In the case of John Swords: he gave the Chinese the copy he bought from Gilbert Stuart to use as a prototype. I'm making the grand assumption that they gave it back. After all, once it was copied, they had no more need for the original. Does make you wonder what originals might have been left behind.