China Trade Watercolors of Exotic Fruit on Pith Paper, Mid-19th Century

View Similar Items

Chinese Watercolors of Exotic Fruit on Pith Paper- A Set of Eight

Early 19th Century Chinese Botanical Butterfly Watercolor on Pith Paper

Set of Six 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Paintings on Pith Paper

19th Century French Painting "Lovely Riverside Landscape" Watercolor on Paper

Mid Century Watercolor Village Scene on Paper

China, Set of Six Chinese Export Birds Paintings on Pith Paper, 19th Century

Collection of Five 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Portraits on Pith Paper

China Trade Framed Pith Paper Set of Pictures of Butterflies and Plants

Chinese Export Watercolor Exotic Bird Paintings on Paper

Chinese Watercolor 16th Century

China Trade Watercolor & Gouache Set of Twelve Paintings of Fruit & Flowers

Set Of Six Chinese Export Paintings on Pith Paper

About the Item

Chinese China trade watercolors of exotic fruit on pith paper, Gilt frames, Mid-19th century The eight Chinese watercolors on pith paper are of fine quality and depict various exotic fruits including pineapples, lychees, finger citrus and orange amongst others. Now framed with a thin gilt frame and cream mat with a green inner bezel. Dimensions: 13 1/2 inches x 16 3/4 inches wide. Reference: China Trade watercolors although produced as early as the late 18th century enjoyed the height of their popularity in the 1840s and 1850s. Travels to China were difficult and expensive, and those from the West that could afford to make the journey did not wish to return empty-handed. Similar to the Grand Tour of the Continent, China was one of the ultimate elite destinations and anything of quality that was brought back immediately became status symbols. Watercolors, available in a variety of subjects and quite handsomely bound, were a popular choice not only due to their aesthetics but also because of the ease of which they could be carried; large oil paintings and bulky ceramic objects did not lend themselves well to transport. Although a commodity produced for business, the watercolors were very well done, often by well-respected artists. Many of the artists did not work in watercolors often; one of the most respected artists at the time, Sunqua, painted primarily in oils. He worked in watercolor and gouache in the 1830s-late 1840s, producing albums and single paintings for export and trade during this time. He was an accomplished artist, whom Crossman says: ", would seem to belong to an Italian or European tradition of ship and port painting", so good was his compositions and palettes. The first cultural exchanges appeared in the 16th century when Italian Jesuit missionaries began filtering into China; as the literati widely rejected their Christian teachings, the Italians hurried to find another channel through which to forge bonds in the East. They began sending accomplished artists and teaching European painting techniques instead, forming a particular aesthetic that remained popular for centuries. The earliest China Trade pictures were produced on both Chinese and European paper; "Beginning in the 1780s, the Chinese artists used western paper for most of their watercolors for the export trade, supplying the Chinese with the raw materials for a product which was to be sold in the West was not unusual since it occurred in many fields of manufacture. The other paper commonly used for watercolors and gouaches after 1800 or 1810, was pith, which has been mistakenly called 'rice' paper, both at that time and today...' The so-called rice paper is made of the pith of the Aralia papyrifera. The pith is soaked before cutting; the workman then applies the blade to the cylinders of pith, and, turning them around dexterously, pares them from the circumference to the centre, making a rolled layer of equal thickness throughout'. The pith paper was a very fragile medium on which to work, and many of the watercolors on pith which have survived are cracked and broken." The pictures were then mounted into albums with a silk ribbon, often blue but not always, and bound between boards covered with brightly colored and patterned silk. Although it was extremely fragile, pith paper was widely favored due to its nature; the gouache used by the Chinese sat on the surface of the paper and produced a bright and sparkling effect. Very fine detail could be achieved whilst maintaining clean, vibrant colors. The material did not lend itself to the flat wash of color favored for European watercolors.

Dimensions:
Height: 13.5 in (34.29 cm)Width: 16.75 in (42.55 cm)Depth: 0.75 in (1.91 cm)
Sold As:
Set of 6
Style:
Chinese Export (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper
Place of Origin:
China
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1870
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Good.
Seller Location:
Downingtown, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: NY7320-miii1stDibs: LU861018563712

More From This Seller

View All

Chinese Watercolors of Exotic Fruit on Pith Paper- A Set of Eight

Located in Downingtown, PA

The Chine trade watercolors are of fine quality and depict various exotic fruits including pineapples, lychees, finger citrus and orange amongst others. Now framed with a thin gilt f...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Paintings

Materials

Paper

Chinese Watercolors of Exotic Fruit on Pith Paper- A Set of Eight

$10,000 / set

China Trade Framed Pith Paper Set of Pictures of Butterflies and Plants

Located in Downingtown, PA

Chinese Watercolours of Flowers and Butterflies on Pith Paper, Set of Eight, Circa 1840-60. The superb set of Chinese watercolours of flowers and insects are painted on pith paper a...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

China Trade Framed Pith Paper Set of Pictures of Butterflies and Plants

$7,500 / set

Chinese Export Watercolor Exotic Bird Paintings on Paper

Located in Downingtown, PA

China Trade watercolor paintings of exotic birds on branches are in watercolor and gouache on Chinese paper. One picture depicts a pigeon perched on a tree branch with a landscape background. Chinese calligraphy can be seen in the top right corner. The second picture depicts two courting birds in shades of brown, both perched on a branch, also in a landscape background. Both paintings framed with a green silk mat and contemporary gilt and dark wood frame. Reference: Chinese Export...

Category

Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Chinese Export Paintings and Screens

Materials

Paper

Chinese Export Watercolor Exotic Bird Paintings on Paper

$2,000 / set

China Trade Watercolor & Gouache Set of Twelve Paintings of Fruit & Flowers

Located in Downingtown, PA

Superb quality painting! China Trade Watercolor & Gouache on pith paper, Set of twelve paintings of fruit and flowers, Circa 1850-1860 ...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

China Trade Watercolor & Gouache Set of Twelve Paintings of Fruit & Flowers

$9,900 / set

Chinese Watercolor of a Sampan on Paper, circa 1800

Located in Downingtown, PA

The large Chinese watercolor on European paper depicts a starboard view of a two-master sailing ship with one man sailing the vessel while two passengers can clearly be seen inside t...

Category

Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Paintings

Materials

Paper

Chinese Watercolor of a Sampan on Paper, circa 1800

$2,000

China Trade Watercolor Pictures of Junks & Sampans, Set of Five

Located in Downingtown, PA

China trade watercolor pictures of junks & sampans, Set of Five, Circa 1850 The Chinese watercolor paintings on pith paper each depict a diffe...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Decorative Art

Materials

Paper

China Trade Watercolor Pictures of Junks & Sampans, Set of Five

$5,500 / set

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens

Materials

Paper

Early 19th Century Chinese Botanical Butterfly Watercolor on Pith Paper

$4,263

Set of Six 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Paintings on Pith Paper

Located in Stamford, CT

A very unusual and intriguing rare set of six 19th century Chinese gouaches depicting scenes of corporal punishment, and in one, execution. Painted...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Paintings and Screens

Materials

Paper

Set of Six 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Paintings on Pith Paper

$5,800 / set

19th Century French Painting "Lovely Riverside Landscape" Watercolor on Paper

Located in Sofia, BG

Small painting dated 19th century representing beautiful riverside landscape in light colors with few accents and figures that grab your attention right away! Amazing giltwood frame ...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Paintings

Materials

Paper

19th Century French Painting "Lovely Riverside Landscape" Watercolor on Paper

$3,384

Mid Century Watercolor Village Scene on Paper

Located in Countryside, IL

Mid century watercolor village scene on paper This watercolor measures: 31.25 wide x 1.25 deep x 23.75 inches high This Watercolor is in...

Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood, Paint

Mid Century Watercolor Village Scene on Paper

$995

China, Set of Six Chinese Export Birds Paintings on Pith Paper, 19th Century

Located in PARIS, FR

Set of Six Chinese export birds Paintings on Pith Paper, 19th Century A refined series of six Chinese export paintings depicting birds amidst del...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Paintings

Materials

Paper

China, Set of Six Chinese Export Birds Paintings on Pith Paper, 19th Century

$2,115 / set

Collection of Five 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Portraits on Pith Paper

Located in London, GB

A Collection of Five 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Portraits on Pith Paper C.1850 Depicting Court Figures in Imperial Dress Framed and gla...

Category

Antique 19th Century Chinese Paintings and Screens

Materials

Paper

Collection of Five 19th Century Chinese Export Gouache Portraits on Pith Paper

$5,819 / set