Three Dutchmen in a Sloop, anonymous, c. 1725 - c. 1750
A boat is loaded with merchandise, packed in crates, bags, and an earthenware vessel. The man in charge is gesturing at the other men to be careful. Given the colours of the boat, they must be Dutch. Such sloops transported purchased goods from the quay to the large merchant ships off the coast. This object was made in Canton (now Ghuangzou), the Chinese port where many Europeans conducted trade.