Chinese School, 19th century

Both in impressive deeply carved and pierced black wood period frames.  A paper label attached to teh backing of Shanghai view states: HINQUA Portrait... painter... Hong Kong.

These two impressive paintings finely depict the robust trading in the ports of Canton and Shanghai at the height of their success.  The Canton painting shows the view of the factories between 1847 and 1856, flying the American, French British and Danish flags.  The church seen between the French and British factories and located at the end of Hog Lane, was erected in 1847.  To the right of the British factory was the building occupied by the merchants Jardine Matheson and Co. and Augustine Heard who took over the land once occupied by the Dutch and Creek factories.  They chose to fly a Danish flag because a member of Matheson’s firm was Danish.  Featured prominently in the center of the painting is an American steamship docked in front of the American factory. 

The second painting is of the Bund of Shanghai circa 1850.  The Chinese style red colored customs house is clearly depicted on the left between two tall red flag poles and to the far left is an American building.  Amongst the Chinese junks and smaller boats are two American steamships and two schooner ships, one American and one British.