CANTONESE SCHOOL Qing Dynasty, first quarter 19th century

The work is in good condition, the canvas is lined. There is light craquelure throughout, in some areas it is more pronounced such as in the white areas in the lower right hand quadrant. There is some very fine pigment separation, this is seen mostly in the brown of the rocks and the blue of the man’s tunic at lower left. There are a few more pronounced vertical cracks in the upper center and left of the work. UNDER UV: there is craquelure fill-in centered in the open sky at upper right. There is a larger area of inpaining about 3 by 3 inch area just above white rock at right as well as two 2 by 2 inch areas of inpainting at upper right. Overall most of the inpainting is very minor and the work is in a good state.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This finely painted Chinese oil painting is very rare because of its large size and subject matter.  It was probably painted by the Chinese artist Fatqua, who was a follower of Spoilum, the great 18^th century Chinese painter.  Fatqua appears in a list of painters made by Robert Waln Jr. of Philadelphia, while he was in Canton from September 1819 to January 1820.  Fatqua appears on this list as a painter and miniature painter, his character is 'good', and his standing is 'No 1', ranked with Tonqua, and Tonqua Jr.   Other painters such as Lamqua and Foiequa are marked 'No 2' and 'No 3', respectively.   Waln lists Fatqua's address as being in New China St., which is further verified by his trade card, which states 'Fatqua, Painter, in Oil & Water Colours, and on Glass, China Street, Canton...', illustrated in Carl Crossman, The Decorative Arts of the China Trade, Woodbridge, 1991, p. 57.

Three winter landscapes executed in gouache on paper, which bear Fatqua's name to the reverse and dated 1824, each approximately 18 x 24 in. (illustrated op. cit. p. 189, plate 91), bear close similarity to the present lot.  The overall composition and treatment of the landscape and figures, as well as the use of a large deciduous tree in the foreground lightly covered with snow and the use of a tent with a banner are almost identical.  The subject of the return from the hunt is also the same in these pictures.  It is interesting to note that Fatqua does not seem to have been a portrait painter (op. cit. p. 56), rather it seems that he devoted his time and talents to landscape painting.

A related painting of a winter scene, with figures returning from a hunt, (one of a pair, the other a summer scene) is illustrated, Ronald Phillips Ltd., Catalogue, 2009, p. 18.