Set Of 4 Antique 19th Century Miniature Chinese Pith Paintings Framed In Pairs
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:850094 | Primary Material: Pith Paper & Watercolor |
| Region of Origin: China | Age: 1800-1849 |
| Maker: Unknown | Original/Reproduction: Antique Original |
| Color: Multi-Color |
Set of 4 Rare Chinese Miniature PITH Paintings, Framed as Doubles.The theme of these 4 paintings is the Harbor filled with Junques, Sunpans and men working.Pith painting was an adopted art form in China after 1820, when expanded trade routes tp China were extremely busy. The growth of trade generated great numbers of westerners who wanted to bring a piece of exotic Asia, a souvenir, back to their families in the West. Many Chinese art forms were too large, and expensive for anyone but ...the very wealthy to bring back on the return voyage. Artisans began to paint miniatures on Pith paper, in response to the demand for art that would be easy to pack and transport. Pith is not manufactured from the pulp of plants and trees, like traditional paper, rather it was an actual, slice from the central column of spongy cellular tissue in the stem of a small tree called Tetrapanax Papyrifera, native to south-west China. Because the paper was cellular, the pigments behaved differently than on traditional paper from reconstituted pulp. Pigment laid on top of the surface. The result is very bright colors and a glowing appearance. It is unique and magical. Cutting is highly skilled and the constraints of the process mean that the finished sheets for painting seldom, if ever, measure more than about 30cms by 20cms. The sheets are dried, trimmed and used for painting without any further processing.These paintings were made by artisans, not Chinese masters, so they were frowned upon by the wealthy Chinese families. The Artisans lived and worked near the port, so the painting's themes were of street scenes, market sellers, merchants, and sometimes ships. The heyday for Pith paintings was between 1830-1840, after which the port in Hong Kong, and others opened and trade shifted away from Canton, where these were painted, and the other southern ports.The diminutive paintings were sold in albums, allowing the delicate paper to be preserves during a long journey at sea. Some time later, often not for decades, they were framed for presentation on a wall, as it was inconvenient to view them in these folios. Additionally, the paintings tended to disintegrate in the folios, they were often "tipped in'" and they would fall out, tear or become damages from the glue used.This set is framed under reverse painted and gilt glass. The frames themselves are silver & gold, flecked with black. They look stunning. Each painting measures roughly 3.75" x 2". Framed, each pair measures 8.75" x 7.25"There is ver minor damage to all, a bit hard to describe, but there is one line where the Pith has cracked and another has a couple of spots on the edge with paper loss. So please review the photos. I can not speak to any fading or discoloration, as I do not know what they looked like 175 years ago.To my eyes, they are bright, radiant and ready to go up on a wall.Please contact me if you have any questions.Thank you.
