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

Details

Description

A very unusual and intriguing rare set of six 19th century Chinese gouaches depicting scenes of corporal punishment, and in … Read more A very unusual and intriguing rare set of six 19th century Chinese gouaches depicting scenes of corporal punishment, and in one, execution. Painted on pith paper in vibrant colors, the images are disturbing yet have historical value. One shows a judge passing sentence while the others show the various punishments. Beautifully framed and matted.
During the 18th and 19th centuries many port cities of China were shipping and trading hubs, with important transport connections to other parts of the country, Japan and Europe.
European travelers and traders, would purchase gouaches on different supports, including pith, from the various painting studios nearby the port. These paintings were produced in sets as souvenirs. They were small, extremely attractive objects, full of color and a marvelous velvety texture. They were perfectly complementary to the truly coveted objects of porcelain, tea and silk, whose purchase was the reason many Europeans traveled to China.
Pith is often mistaken for rice paper for those unfamiliar with the material. However this support has nothing to do with paper in its structure and behavior. It´s actually a sheet of inner bark cut from the pith plant, the Tetrapanax Papyrifer. This unusual structure forming such a thin leaf gives the translucent nature and soft surface with its inner velvety texture to the support.
13.5 inches wide by 10.5 high See less