CHINESE SCHOOL

18TH CENTURY

Details
CHINESE SCHOOL
18th Century
Three scenes from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo)
gouache and ink on pith paper, framed and glazed

Including two battle scenes and an audience scene, each with an inscription identifying the scene in the upper right-hand corner and with small captions identifying the various figures, all written in Chinese and Manchu characters in gold on dark blue rectangular reserves
17in. (43.2cm.) square (3)

Lot Essay

Each painting has a typed translation of the inscriptions applied to its wood backing, and each translation is identified in ink as having been done by Professor Giles of the British Museum. These typed translations bear the following statement also written in ink: "This picture was taken from the Summer Palace, of Pekin, before it was burnt in 1860", and are signed, Gordon Pritchard, K.C.B., Lt. General, Royal Engineers