TWO ALBUMS, EACH OF TWELVE WATERCOLOURS ON PITH PAPER

CIRCA 1900

Details

TWO ALBUMS, EACH OF TWELVE WATERCOLOURS ON PITH PAPER
circa 1900
One album finely painted depicting elite members of the court, officials, and dignitaries, each seated in elaborate interior settings with attendant figures; the other album depicting figures in processions and at ceremonial festivities, both albums with some damage to a few leaves
14 x 9 in. (36 x 23.5 cm.) and 8 x 12 in. (21 x 31.8 cm.), silk covers (2)

Lot Essay

Two of the leaves in the first album possibly depict the Emperor Guangxu and his concubine Zhenfei, who was known as 'The Pearl Concubine'. The leaves in this album are very similar to those in an album presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh in 1934 which, according to documentary evidence held by the Museum, were executed in Canton in 1902; see Craig Clunas, Chinese Export Watercolours, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1984, colour pl.42 and p.72.

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