Page 90 - Bonhams Chinese & Asian Works of Art Los Angelis December 14 2020

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ANONYMOUS, CANTON SCHOOL
Four Plates Depicting Tradesmen, 19th century
Four hand-colored aquatint plates, framed and glazed.
8 x 10in (20.3 x 25.4cm) (4).

$1,000 - 1,500
Provenance
Sotheby’s, London, 6 May 1986

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MAXIM GAUCI (1774-1845)
Trial of the Neptune Sailors, Canton 1807
Hand-colored copperplate engraving on paper, framed and glazed,
inscribed ‘On Stone by M.Gauci’ (lower left), ‘Printed by Graf and
Sorel’ (lower right).
14 x 19 3/4in (35.6 x 50.2cm)
$1,200 - 1,500

Footnotes
The present lot depicts the Chinese Court of Justice at the trial of
sailors from the East Indian Company ship ‘Neptune’ on 8 March
1807. On 24 February 1807, sailors of Neptune angry at the robbery of
a seaman the day before, caused a disturbance in which one Chinese
man was killed and several others were wounded. The subsequent
trial was held at the British factory of Canton. The trial was overseen
by Hong merchants Puankhequa, Mowqua, Puiqua, and Consequa, all
seen seated to the right. After three trials, the Chinese judge found one
seaman guilty of accidental homicide. This was the first Chinese trial in
which foreigners were also present.

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