![[COCHIN, Charles Nicolas (1715-1790). Suite de seize estampes représentant les conquêtes de l'Empereur de la Chine.] Paris: China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, 1890.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0342_001(cochin_charles_nicolas_suite_de_seize_estampes_representant_les_conque083739).jpg?w=1)
![[COCHIN, Charles Nicolas (1715-1790). Suite de seize estampes représentant les conquêtes de l'Empereur de la Chine.] Paris: China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, 1890.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0342_002(cochin_charles_nicolas_suite_de_seize_estampes_representant_les_conque103556).jpg?w=1)
![[COCHIN, Charles Nicolas (1715-1790). Suite de seize estampes représentant les conquêtes de l'Empereur de la Chine.] Paris: China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, 1890.](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0342_000(cochin_charles_nicolas_suite_de_seize_estampes_representant_les_conque103538).jpg?w=1)
Details
[COCHIN, Charles Nicolas (1715-1790). Suite de seize estampes représentant les conquêtes de l'Empereur de la Chine.] Paris: China Merchants Steam Navigation Company, 1890.
Extremely rare, perhaps unique set of collotype reproductions of the famous series of plates commemorating Emperor Qianlong's military victories. In an imperial decree dated 13 July 1765, Emperor Qianlong (1710-1798) commanded that designs depicting his victorious campaigns of the 1750s against the 'Eleuths', i.e. Tartar Kalmucks, and certain rebels, be sent to Europe to be engraved by the best available artists. The original drawings for the plates were made by a number of missionaries: the discalced Augustinian John Damascene a Sanctissima Conceptione, an Italian by the name of Sallusti, who became Bishop of Peking in 1778; and the Jesuits Denis Attiret (1702-1768), Ignatius Sichelbarth (1708-1780) and Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766). The engraving was carried out under the direction of Cochin fils, by le Bas and his pupils between 1767 and 1776, with the prints measuring 570 x 910mm. The engraver Isidore Helman (1743-1806) then created a reduced set, measuring some 250 x 410mm, published in Paris in 1788.
The present lot is a set of collotype reproductions from Helman's prints, made for the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company for presentation to the Guangxu Emperor in 1890. The 18 calligraphic sheets consist of a Foreword, an Introduction and 16 'Poems' originally composed by the Qianlong Emperor describing the scenes of the 16 engravings. We have been unable to trace any other set, either at auction nor in institutions.
Broadsheets (485 x 650mm). 16 plates, image size 250 x 440mm (occasional light creasing and dog-earing at extremities). Contained in the original red cloth portfolio, upper cover panelled in gilt and blind and with gilt lettered Chinese title (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: Dr Reinhard Hoeppli (Swiss parasitologist, resident in China in the 1920s, gifted to:) -- Sir Lionel Lamb (British diplomat, and thence by descent, sold to:) -- John Randall (Books of Asia, sold to:) -- the present consignor (details provided on request).
Extremely rare, perhaps unique set of collotype reproductions of the famous series of plates commemorating Emperor Qianlong's military victories. In an imperial decree dated 13 July 1765, Emperor Qianlong (1710-1798) commanded that designs depicting his victorious campaigns of the 1750s against the 'Eleuths', i.e. Tartar Kalmucks, and certain rebels, be sent to Europe to be engraved by the best available artists. The original drawings for the plates were made by a number of missionaries: the discalced Augustinian John Damascene a Sanctissima Conceptione, an Italian by the name of Sallusti, who became Bishop of Peking in 1778; and the Jesuits Denis Attiret (1702-1768), Ignatius Sichelbarth (1708-1780) and Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766). The engraving was carried out under the direction of Cochin fils, by le Bas and his pupils between 1767 and 1776, with the prints measuring 570 x 910mm. The engraver Isidore Helman (1743-1806) then created a reduced set, measuring some 250 x 410mm, published in Paris in 1788.
The present lot is a set of collotype reproductions from Helman's prints, made for the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company for presentation to the Guangxu Emperor in 1890. The 18 calligraphic sheets consist of a Foreword, an Introduction and 16 'Poems' originally composed by the Qianlong Emperor describing the scenes of the 16 engravings. We have been unable to trace any other set, either at auction nor in institutions.
Broadsheets (485 x 650mm). 16 plates, image size 250 x 440mm (occasional light creasing and dog-earing at extremities). Contained in the original red cloth portfolio, upper cover panelled in gilt and blind and with gilt lettered Chinese title (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: Dr Reinhard Hoeppli (Swiss parasitologist, resident in China in the 1920s, gifted to:) -- Sir Lionel Lamb (British diplomat, and thence by descent, sold to:) -- John Randall (Books of Asia, sold to:) -- the present consignor (details provided on request).
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Sale room notice
Please note that Christie’s has now identified 6 copies of this work in institutions.
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