3516

CANTON SCHOOL

China, Early 19th Century

The Great Fire, Canton, 1822, showing the Hongs ablaze and numerous junks and sampans in the foreground.

Unsigned, possibly by the Master of the Fire of 1822.
Oil on canvas, 9.5" x 11.5". Framed 14" x 16".
Condition: Overall good condition. The canvas is relined with an intermediate board and canvas. There are several areas along the stretcher edges where the canvas appears to be separating from the lining. Under UV examination there appear to be several small areas of in-paint in the sky and sea, as well as to some of the craquelure, but it is difficult to get a clear read as there is a thick gloss varnish covering the entire surface.

The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction. 

  • Provenance: Provenance
    Sotheby's Parke-Bernet, Hong Kong, November 1975.
    Sotheby's New York, China Trade Auction, April 1986.
    The Kelton Collection of Marine Art & Artifacts.

    Notes:
    Attributed to The Master of the Fire of 1822 based on a set of three similar small oils depicting the burning of Canton. Another painting by the Master of the Fire of 1822 is illustrated in Carl L.Crossman's The China Trade, 1972, p. 50, plate 34.

    Late one evening in November 1822, fire broke out in Canton not far from the foreign factories. The flames spread quickly and the merchants fled as their homes and wares were consumed. The artist Tinqua came to the British merchant Nathan Dunn's aid, sending 80 of his men with a fleet of small boats. The men loaded Dunn's goods onto the boats and rowed into the river, safe from the fire.

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August 5, 2022 9:30 AM EDT
East Dennis, MA, US

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