Page 121 - 2020 December 10 Christie's Paris Arts of Asia Chinese Art
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The painting shows to the right the Yangjingbang Bridge, commissioned by about a third of the size of the British settlement at that time. A further small
the French Consul, M. Benoit Edan, and built in 1856 which dates our painting strip of riverside land to the east of the Old City was added in 1861, to allow
to after 1856. The French Concession was established on 6 April 1849, the construction of the Quai de France, to service shipping between China
when the French Consul to Shanghai, M. Charles de Montigny, obtained a and France. For more information read E. Politzer, The Changing Face of the
proclamation of the Governor of Shanghai, which conceded certain territory Shanghai Bund Circa 1849-1879, Arts of Asia, vol. 35, no. 2, March-April 2005.
for a French settlement. The French Concession effectively occupied a See also an important view of The Bund c. 1867 by painter Chow Kwa offered
narrow ‘collar’ of land around the northern end of the Old City, south of the at Christie’s London, 14 December 2018, lot 41.
British settlement. At an area of 66 hectares, the French Concession was
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