18th Century Engraving China Emperor Tent Tartary British Ambassador 1796
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:45888 |
Excellent hand-colored 18th Century Engraving titled: "Approach of the Emperor of Chinese to his Tent in Tartary to Receive the British Ambassador". Published in London April 12, 1796 by G. Nichol. Beautifully rendered in excellent condition. Bears labels on reverse. Framed by Man Fong of Hong Kong. "Property of Richard Therst, not Price Waterhouse". Clearly the former possession of an ex pat in Hong Kong. Nicely matted and fram...ed. Measures 13.25" by 18" sight. Framed 20" by 25". Very cool piece of history.
MEETING WITH THE EMPEROR AT CHENGDE (承德市)“The Approach of the Emperor of China to his Tent in Tartary, to receive the British Embassador.” Copper engraving by J. Fittler after a drawing by William Alexander (1767-1816 ) from the “Authentic account of an embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China; including cursory observations made, and information obtained, in travelling through that ancient empire” written by Sir George Leonard Staunton and published April 12, 1796 in London by G. Nicol. Coloured by a later hand. Size (image): 30 x 45 cm.The embassy was headed by Earl George Macartney (1737-1806), who was dispatched to Beijing in 1792. He was accompanied by Staunton a medical doctor as his secretary, and a retinue of suitably impressive size, including Staunton’s 11-year-old son who was nominally the ambassador’s page. On the embassy’s arrival in China it emerged that the 11-year-old was the only European member of the embassy able to speak Mandarin, and thus the only one able to converse with the Emperor. Macartney was twice granted an audience with the Emperor and in December 1793 he was sumptuously entertained by the Chinese viceroy in Canton.Lord Macartney’s embassy was unsuccessful, the Chinese resisting British overtures to establish diplomatic relations in view of opening the vast Chinese realms to free trade, but it opened the way for future British missions, which would eventually lead to the first Opium War and the cession of Hong Kong to Britain in 1842. It also resulted in this invaluable account, prepared at government expense, largely from Lord Macartney’s notes, by Staunton, of Chinese manners, customs and artifacts at the height of the Qing dynasty.The engravings are of special interest because of their depiction of subjects that very few Europeans had heard of or seen, showing how advanced Chinese civilisation was on a technical, artistic and organizational level.Staunton describes this particular engraving as follows: The tent of the Emperor “was erected for the purpose in a part of the grounds belonging to the palace and called Van-shoo-yuen, or garden of ten thousand trees. Before the tent were arranged in two ranks, a great number of persons, consisting of tributary princes representatives of sovereigns, ministers of state, governors of provinces, officers of the tribunals, and other mandarines of rank, waiting the approach of the Emperor, who is borne in an open chair supported by sixteen men. The British Embassador and his suite stood at the front of the rank, on the right hand side, in advancing towards the tent.”Price: Euro 395, -Here's information from Yale's Beineke Rare Book Library:The approach of the Emperor of China to his tent in Tartary, to receive the British EmbassadorFrom: An authentic account of an embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China : including cursory observations made, and information obtained, in travelling through that ancient empire, and a small part of Chinese Tartary : together with a relation of the voyage undertaken on the occasion by His Majesty’s ship the Lion and the ship Hindostan, in the East India Company’s service, to the Yellow Sea, and Gulf of Pekin, as well as of their return to Europe ... / taken chiefly from the papers of His Excellency the Earl of Macartney ... Sir Erasmus Gower ... and of other gentlemen in the several departments of the embassy ; by Sir George Staunton ... Call Number:1973 Folio 98 (Request the physical item to view in our reading room)Creator:Nicol, George Fittler, James, 1758-1835, engraver Alexander, William (1767-1816)Other Creator:Staunton, George, Sir, 1737-1801Language:EnglishDate:1796 April 12
Subjects:China--Pictorial works--Early works to 1800Manchuria (China)--Pictorial works--Early works to 1800Genres:EngravingsIllustrationsIntaglio printsType of Resource:still imagePhysical Description:1 pl.engraved57 x 42 cm.Volume/Enumeration:Vol. 3
MEETING WITH THE EMPEROR AT CHENGDE (承德市)“The Approach of the Emperor of China to his Tent in Tartary, to receive the British Embassador.” Copper engraving by J. Fittler after a drawing by William Alexander (1767-1816 ) from the “Authentic account of an embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China; including cursory observations made, and information obtained, in travelling through that ancient empire” written by Sir George Leonard Staunton and published April 12, 1796 in London by G. Nicol. Coloured by a later hand. Size (image): 30 x 45 cm.The embassy was headed by Earl George Macartney (1737-1806), who was dispatched to Beijing in 1792. He was accompanied by Staunton a medical doctor as his secretary, and a retinue of suitably impressive size, including Staunton’s 11-year-old son who was nominally the ambassador’s page. On the embassy’s arrival in China it emerged that the 11-year-old was the only European member of the embassy able to speak Mandarin, and thus the only one able to converse with the Emperor. Macartney was twice granted an audience with the Emperor and in December 1793 he was sumptuously entertained by the Chinese viceroy in Canton.Lord Macartney’s embassy was unsuccessful, the Chinese resisting British overtures to establish diplomatic relations in view of opening the vast Chinese realms to free trade, but it opened the way for future British missions, which would eventually lead to the first Opium War and the cession of Hong Kong to Britain in 1842. It also resulted in this invaluable account, prepared at government expense, largely from Lord Macartney’s notes, by Staunton, of Chinese manners, customs and artifacts at the height of the Qing dynasty.The engravings are of special interest because of their depiction of subjects that very few Europeans had heard of or seen, showing how advanced Chinese civilisation was on a technical, artistic and organizational level.Staunton describes this particular engraving as follows: The tent of the Emperor “was erected for the purpose in a part of the grounds belonging to the palace and called Van-shoo-yuen, or garden of ten thousand trees. Before the tent were arranged in two ranks, a great number of persons, consisting of tributary princes representatives of sovereigns, ministers of state, governors of provinces, officers of the tribunals, and other mandarines of rank, waiting the approach of the Emperor, who is borne in an open chair supported by sixteen men. The British Embassador and his suite stood at the front of the rank, on the right hand side, in advancing towards the tent.”Price: Euro 395, -Here's information from Yale's Beineke Rare Book Library:The approach of the Emperor of China to his tent in Tartary, to receive the British EmbassadorFrom: An authentic account of an embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China : including cursory observations made, and information obtained, in travelling through that ancient empire, and a small part of Chinese Tartary : together with a relation of the voyage undertaken on the occasion by His Majesty’s ship the Lion and the ship Hindostan, in the East India Company’s service, to the Yellow Sea, and Gulf of Pekin, as well as of their return to Europe ... / taken chiefly from the papers of His Excellency the Earl of Macartney ... Sir Erasmus Gower ... and of other gentlemen in the several departments of the embassy ; by Sir George Staunton ... Call Number:1973 Folio 98 (Request the physical item to view in our reading room)Creator:Nicol, George Fittler, James, 1758-1835, engraver Alexander, William (1767-1816)Other Creator:Staunton, George, Sir, 1737-1801Language:EnglishDate:1796 April 12
Subjects:China--Pictorial works--Early works to 1800Manchuria (China)--Pictorial works--Early works to 1800Genres:EngravingsIllustrationsIntaglio printsType of Resource:still imagePhysical Description:1 pl.engraved57 x 42 cm.Volume/Enumeration:Vol. 3
