A rare Chinese album containing fifty watercolour paintings, Qing dynasty, early 19th century 清十九世紀初 外銷水彩通草紙本魚藻圖冊

拍品描述

The set comprising fifty paintings depicting various amphibians, fish and crustaceans, all executed by a Chinese School artist on Dutch laid paper with watermarks reading 'J. Honig & Zoonen', each sheet with an inscription describing the subject in both Chinese characters and Wade-Giles, housed in a fitted box Size:(each sheet approx. 25.3 x 33.4cm) Qty: (1) Provenance:Sotheby's London, 8th November 1992, lot 354 [with purchase invoice from Roger Keverne]; Collection of the late Gerard Arnhold (1918-2010) 來源： 倫敦蘇富比，1992年11月8日，拍品編號 354（附 Roger Keverne 購藏發票） Gerard Arnhold 先生故藏 Notes: This collection is composed of skilfully-executed studies of a variety of aquatic creatures all native to Asian seas, and includes the pond loach, pomfret, double-banded soapfish, Amur catfish, and the snakehead, amongst many other fishes, crabs and frogs. These paintings belong to the genre commonly referred to as Chinese School, which was composed of almost all anonymous Chinese artists working in and around the coastal trading ports. These artists produced work for Western markets, and in particular for the members of the East India and Dutch East India Companies, bringing these works under the banner of 'Company School'. Whilst being stylistically influenced by their Indian counterparts, the Chinese artists would differ in their execution of their paintings, employing more fluid brushstrokes in contrast to the precise detailing found in Indian Company School paintings. The present lot was possibly a set commissioned by a member of the Dutch East India Company, owing to the fact the laid paper used bears a Dutch company watermark that reads 'J. Honig & Zoonen'. This particular paper was manufactured sometime between 1737 and 1787, as per W. A. Churchill in 'Watermarks in paper in Holland, England, France etc.', 1935. This means these works are could possibly be earlier than 19th century, which is the usual date attribution for the majority of these Chinese School works. For a set of comparable watercolour paintings of fish, see Christie's London, 15 Nov 2000, lot 196; and another set in the same rooms, 19 Oct 1999, lot 70; and another in the same rooms, 22 Mar 2000, lot 105. 此系列畫作技法精湛，詳盡描繪了多種亞洲海域及內陸水系之生物，包括大鱗副泥鰍、鯧魚、雙帶鱸、大口鯰及烏鱧（黑魚），亦涵蓋多種蟹類與青蛙。此類作品屬於典型的中國外銷畫，由當時活躍於各大通商口岸的無名畫師創作。 這批畫作專為西方市場、尤其是英國東印度公司（HEIC）與荷蘭東印度公司（VOC）的成員量身定製。雖然在題材上深受印度公司派繪畫的影響，但中國畫師在執行上更具特色：相較於印度畫派極度嚴謹的工筆細節，中國畫師運用了更為流暢靈動的筆觸，展現出東方水墨特有的韻致。 本品極有可能是由荷蘭東印度公司成員特別委託創作。其關鍵依據在於所使用的條紋紙帶有荷蘭紙商 「J. Honig & Zoonen」 的水印。根據 W. A. Churchill 於 1935 年出版之權威著作《荷蘭、英國、法國等地紙張水印研究》，此類紙張的生產年代介於 1737 年至 1787 年之間。 欲參考同類魚類水彩畫組，請參閱以下拍賣實例：倫敦佳士得，2000年11月15日，拍品編號 196；倫敦佳士得，1999年10月19日，拍品編號 70；倫敦佳士得，2000年3月22日，拍品編號 105。

图片