清乾隆 （傳）冷枚 (fl. 1700-1742)

《乾隆御覽之寶》《石渠寶笈》《重華宮鑑藏寶》《樂善堂圖書記》《嘉慶御覽之寶》印

Christie's Paris, 22nd November 2005, lot 142.

The overall condition is very good. There are some typical foxing, old mildew and light stains to the painting. The old mounting also has some mildew and wear. The actual colour is only slightly paler than the catalogue illustration.
"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."

This album leaf painting is attributed to Leng Mei, also called Jichen, who was active during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. A native of Jiao Zhou (present day Jiao Xian) in Shandong province, Leng was a student of the noted painter and astronomer, Jiao Bingzhen (1689-1726). He became a court painter during Kangxi reign and was still there in 1742, in the Qianlong period. Leng was especially skilled at depicting human figures, particularly court ladies and classical Chinese beauties, as well as landscapes, buildings and animals in an elaborate and rich palette. He was also skilled in Western style painting; for example, his work titled Parasol Tree and Two Rabbits, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Paintings by the Court Artists of the Qing Court, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 21, displays his talent at combining Western-style drawing technique with traditional Chinese ink painting.

For examples of Leng's paintings of court ladies see ten album leaves titled Ten Paintings on Maids of Honour, published in Court Paintings of the Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 1992, pl. 4; and another album with ten paintings titled Preservation of Righteousness, included ibid., pl. 3, portraying stories of past Chinese emperors.

The Shiqu Baoji mentions an album leaf painting by Leng Mei of the same subject and stored in the same hall in baimiao ('outline drawing'), (fig.1). A remarkably similar composition to the present example, depicting a female deity on clouds wearing a robe with similar flowing ribbons and sashes, can be found in the collection of Morisada Hosokawa, published in Kei Suzuki, Comprehensive Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Paintings: Japanese Collections, Temples, Shrines and Individuals, vol. 4, Tokyo, 1984, p. iv-421 no. JP36-009.