Taiwan

Folio (380 x 260mm.), actual map size 315 x 5200mm., map of Taiwan, finely hand-coloured in watercolour and gouache, concertina-style, silk borders to head and foot, mounted in album format, embroidered silk upper cover with paper label lettered in Chinese, paper covered lower cover, minor worming mostly to upper cover, splitting at pp.5-6 (starting from right), minor dampstaining and loss of paper, restoration

All Under Heaven 11

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

“Imperial China gained political control of Taiwan in 1683, when it seized the island from the forces of the naval warrior and Ming loyalist Koxinga (Zheng Chengdong, 1624-1662). The Qing made Taiwan a prefecture (fu) under the jurisdiction of Fujian province and organized it into three districts (xian): Taiwan, Fengshan and Zhuluo. The title slip of the cover of this Complete Map of the Geography of Taiwan Prefecture of the Great Qing-State records that the work was “submitted to the general headquarters of Min [Fuijan] Province in the third year of the Daoguang [reign],” or 1823. Read from right to left across twenty continuously joined pages, the map functions as a gazetteer of the prefecture. Beginning in the north of the island, it traces the west coast to the south... Mountainous areas are rendered in the heavy mineral pigments of the blue-and-green style that first found favour at the Chinese court in the Tang dynasty. Coastal plains are outlined in ink and partly coloured with light washes. Inscriptions outlined in red and simplified pictorial rendering structures and groups of buildings identify major settlements, governmental institutions, temples and military garrisons. Winding trails, also outlined in red, connect villages and towns to each other" (All Under Heaven).