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來源
Charles Forte 雷普利 Forte 男爵 (1908-
2007) 收藏，倫敦
倫敦佳士得2012年7月12日，編號120
出版
Carl L. Crossman，《The Decorative Arts
of the China Trade》，Woodbridge，
1991年，圖版26
MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF THE
PEARL RIVER OFF HONAM ISLAND,
CANTON
QING DYNASTY, CIRCA 1840
Chinese School, oil on canvas; a well-painted
expansive view from the south side of the Pearl
River, where the European factories were located,
the calm waters bustling with junks, sampans
and ‘! ower boats’, towards Honam Island, the
shore dotted with warehouses and distinctive
landmarks including the Dutch Folly and Red Fort,
framed
Height 35 in., 88.9 cm; Width 78 in., 198.1 cm
PROVENANCE
Collection of Charles Forte, Baron Forte of Ripley
(1908-2007), London.
Christie’s London, 12th July 2012, lot 120.
LITERATURE
Carl L. Crossman, The Decorative Arts of the
China Trade, Woodbridge, 1991, pl. 26.
This exceptionally large and exquisitely detailed
painting of a port view would have been
commissioned by one of the leading Western
traders in Canton, the biggest of the treaty ports,
possibly as a souvenir gift to send or take back
home. It is recorded that many of these paintings
went to America, hence the large number of
Chinese School paintings in the collection of the
Peabody Museum, Salem, and other American
institutions.
The scene can be identi% ed by the presence of
two European forts: the Dutch Folly Fort (center
right), across from the Western quarter, and
French Folly Fort (far right), an island fort just
below Canton. Westerners had been restricted
by the Emperor to their trading concessions (the
‘Thirteen Factories’ area) on the north shore;
however they had always been allowed to cross
over to Honam. By the end of the nineteenth
century the river opposite Honam had a ! oating
population of over 100,000 people.
The present depiction of the Honam waterfront is
unusual as no Western boats are shown. Instead
the artist captures the array of shipping vessels,
such as junks, sampans, tanka, and Mandarin
boats, along with a pair of ‘! ower boats’ (! oating
brothels). Paintings of this type were generally
made in sets of four, consisting of a scene of
Macao, the Boca Tigris, Whampoa, and Canton. A
closely related painting was sold in these rooms,
18th-19th April 1989, lot 93. Compare also a pair
of paintings, in the National Maritime Museum,
Greenwich, Shipping in the Pearl River o! Honam
Island, Canton and Shipping in the Pear River o!
Canton, acc. nos BHC 1786 and BHC 1785.
