Page 215 - Made For Trade Chinese Export Paintings In Dutch Collections

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strengthening the identity of this city, now account the meaningful use value these paintings
legitimately form foundations for the meaning once had, as both commodity and art. I trust
and value of this painting genre. Imagine, when that my plea in Made for Trade strengthens this
they move back to China, their use value argument. Indeed, I hope that it will be a ‘game-
changes into functional objects that affirm changer’ in this regard.
interconnectedness. This is in contrast to the
local low value accruement some hundreds of Value accruement through counter expertise
years ago, when this harbour city stood on the During the time span of my research for Made
production side of these artworks. for Trade, i.e. since 2007, scouring the world for
With the pictorial translation that took place, meaningful answers to my questions about these
214 the meaning of these works depends on the winter views, I have conducted a counter
composite of “maker, viewer, medium, intention expertise exercise and asked relevant experts for
and articulation.” 75 Looking at the translation comment. Their reactions to the ‘site’ of the
process necessary to label them as paintings with images themselves are of such interest and are so
absolute artistic value, I argue that the appraisal valuable that I would like to share them. Firstly,
of these winter landscapes at both ends of the Patrick Conner, a leading connoisseur in the
China-Netherlands line originates primarily field, knows of the existence of singular pieces
from their hybrid character. These oil paintings, with similar subject matter, but he has never
once exchanged from Canton to a new milieu, come across sets identical to these winter
received a new meaning upon their arrival in the landscapes. 76 Secondly, Ingrid Vermeulen,
Netherlands, and many times after until today. associate professor of early modern art history at
Their particularities and local marks – as foreign the Amsterdam Free University and author of
and impenetrable aspects – can be translated Picturing Art History. The rise of the illustrated
into more familiar constructed universal history of art in the eighteenth century, wonders
(Western) features, thus making them whether these paintings actually are Chinese.
comprehensible as a construct of ‘the East’, Further, as a specialist in the history of
omitting their possible origins and rendering collecting, museums and the historiography of
them as integrated new artworks in their own art, prints and drawing in the eighteenth century,
right. For audiences at both ends of the she comments: “The way in which the
aforementioned line, they possess enough fantastical mountain chains, the trees and the
unknown (‘exotic’ Chinese and Western) and figures are composed makes me think of the
familiar ingredients. Notwithstanding the idyllic landscape formulas of Western art (see for
general Chinese underestimation of them in the example, the prints at the Remondini’s
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, today the foundation). Further, this subject makes me
excited Chinese art market in this field shows think, in particular, about the exotic images on
exactly the opposite. In the case of these porcelain (Sèvres, Meissen).” 77 Thirdly, James
paintings, we can assume that they were Cahill (1926-2014) appreciated the landscapes
exchanged as a commodity for something as “unusual and very interesting.” 78 The fourth
equivalent: money. In addition, Royer acquired scholar, Michael Sullivan (1916-2013), wrote:
his ‘set of seven’ for his Chinese museum as a
valuable source of information about China, an [t]hose paintings really are remarkable. You
important marker, a first intention in their must be thrilled to have discovered them. […]
biography. The fact that they were hung on the They are clearly inspired by some European
walls of Room 2 of the Royal Cabinet of pictures or engravings that the artist(s) saw. But
Rarities, a prestigious institution, is also finding the originals could be a problem […] It is
important for their valuation. Bearing these odd that while the principal figures are Chinese,
components of cumulating value in mind, these the hunters are clearly derived from some
paintings must become commensurable as European picture or print. And those incredible
exchangeable value and should be ‘exchanged’ icy mountains! […] There are Chinese-looking
(or circulated) again on that basis. By extension, figures in the pictures, and they seem to be
the policy towards them in the museum where enacting some story. I wonder whether it might
they are kept now must be adjusted to take into be Lady Wen-chi’s Return, the old story of the

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75 Whiteman 2016, 119.
76 Email 9 November 2006.
77 Email 26 July 2010.
78 Email 24 December 2010.