Lot 61
61
French School, early 19th Century
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French School, early 19th Century

Lord Macartney's Embassy to Peking, 1792-1794: an album of 31 watercolours illustrating Chinese views and scenes, the watercolours mounted on 14 pages above captions describing the images

Details
French School, early 19th Century
Lord Macartney's Embassy to Peking, 1792-1794: an album of 31 watercolours illustrating Chinese views and scenes, the watercolours mounted on 14 pages above captions describing the images
inscribed 'Du voyage de monsieur Samuel-Holmes sergent magor du onzième régiment de dragon-légers, et l'un des gardes de macartny dans son ambassade en Chine et en Tartarie; en 1792-1793.' below the first image
watercolour
the album 8 x 6in. (20.3 x 15.2cm.) overall
Provenance
William Alexander (1767-1816), and thence by descent to Mark Dineley (bookplate), and then by descent to the present owner.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The views and scenes are inspired by the work of the embassy's official draughtsman, William Alexander, whose work was engraved and widely copied in the years following the return of the embassy to England. The inscription suggests that the album was copied from an illustrated journal by Sergeant-Major Samuel Holmes, 11th Regt. Light Dragoons, who had accompanied the embassy.

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