A remarkable painting that captures the essence of the Chinese tea trade. Crafted on a wood panel, it vividly depicts an 18th or 19th-century Chinese harbor scene. The scene features an American tea trading post where figures are meticulously packing and preparing goods for shipment. The bustling tableau includes a large three-masted American ship alongside local Chinese junks and numerous sampans used to transport cargo and passengers between vessels and the shore.
This painting belongs to the “China Trade” or “Chinese School” genre, which flourished during the Qing Dynasty. Such works were frequently commissioned by Western merchants to document the vibrant commercial activity of major ports like Canton (Guangzhou), Whampoa, and Macao. They also served as a testament to the intricate exchange of goods, cultures, and people that defined this pivotal era of maritime commerce.
Oil on wood.
Signed: “LF” bottom right corner
Size: 30” H x 36” W, framed
C. 20th Century, China
A remarkable painting that captures the essence of the Chinese tea trade. Crafted on a wood panel, it vividly depicts an 18th or 19th-century Chinese harbor scene. The scene features an American tea trading post where figures are meticulously packing and preparing goods for shipment. The bustling tableau includes a large three-masted American ship alongside local Chinese junks and numerous sampans used to transport cargo and passengers between vessels and the shore.
This painting belongs to the “China Trade” or “Chinese School” genre, which flourished during the Qing Dynasty. Such works were frequently commissioned by Western merchants to document the vibrant commercial activity of major ports like Canton (Guangzhou), Whampoa, and Macao. They also served as a testament to the intricate exchange of goods, cultures, and people that defined this pivotal era of maritime commerce.
Oil on wood.
Signed: “LF” bottom right corner
Size: 30” H x 36” W, framed
C. 20th Century, China
