Qua - William Farquhar Pen Holder - Pitta

MATERIAL

Lacquer on wood, packaged in fabric box

DIMENSIONS (L x W x H) CM

7 x 7 x 12.2

---

DETAILS

Qua presents the Pen Holder with the artwork of the Blue-winged Pitta from the William Farquhar collection. It serves as an organiser for stationery items, and is the perfect Singapore corporate gift and souvenir for overseas visitors and guests.

THE BLUE-WINGED PITTA, a colourful resident of Southeast Asia and Malaysia, is an uncommon visitor to Singapore. It is often foraging for earthworms and snails in the leaf litter, but can also be perched on low trees such as the wild mangosteen tree as in this drawing. This is one of the 477 watercolour drawings commissioned by William Farquhar, depicting the flora and fauna of the Malay Peninsula at that time.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION 

The collection comprises 477 watercolour drawings commissioned by William Farquhar, the first Resident and Commandant of Singapore (1819-1823), during his prior tenure as Resident of Melaka.

These natural history drawings depict the flora and fauna of the Malay Peninsula, most likely accomplished by local Chinese artists, with inscriptions identifying the species by their English and Malay names.

Farquhar brought this set along with him when he left Singapore, and subsequently donated it to the Royal Asiatic Society in London in 1827. In 1993, it was put up for auction and purchased by Mr G.K. Goh, who donated the entire collection to the National Museum of Singapore.