Guiseppe Castigleone's influence to Chinese court paintings

Items

• Xian'e Changchun Album - Bean Flower and Wheat
  This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring is gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions.
• Xian'e Changchun Album - Bamboo and morning glory
  This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring is gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions.
• Pine and Cho-yüeh
  In this painting is a depiction of a bird known as a “cho-yüeh” perched alone on an outcropping by a magnificent pine, turning its head with wing outstretched to preen its feathers. This bird is native to the regions west of China. The bird in this painting was taken back to court from the region of I-li and presented by the official A-kuei. The imperial poem inscribed on the painting is also found in the Ch’ien-lung emperor’s published collection of poetry. Composed in 1763, we thus know from this poem that Castiglione was 75 at the time painting was done.
• A Brocade of Spring Radiance
  In this painting is a mountain stream flowing down to where pheasants and decorative rocks are seen. By and on the rocks are various flowers, bamboo, and spirit fungi. The subject matter is auspicious for the start of a prosperous New Year and an allusion to the expression “A Brocade of Spring Radiance”－hence, the title of this painting.
• Xian'e Changchun Album - Cherry Apple & Magnolia
  This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions. Selected for exhibit here are the fourth leaf on the subject of crab apple and magnolia blossoms along with the sixth leaf rendering yellow rose and bleeding heart blossoms. The signature on this album done in Sung-script style suggests it was done by Giuseppe Castiglione sometime between his arrival in China around 1715 and the early Ch’ien-lung reign (1736-1795).
• Xian'e Changchun Album - Chrysanthemum
  This album consists of sixteen leaves divided among blossoms of the four seasons and scattered with rocks, birds, insects, and other plants. The subjects appear to have been taken from scenes in the imperial gardens, and all of them appear to have been meticulously arranged. The placement of the main and subsidiary subjects is also rendered perfectly and the coloring gorgeous, making this work a masterpiece synthesizing the best of Chinese and Western painting traditions. Selected for exhibit here are the fourth leaf on the subject of crab apple and magnolia blossoms along with the sixth leaf rendering yellow rose and bleeding heart blossoms. The signature on this album done in Sung-script style suggests it was done by Giuseppe Castiglione sometime between his arrival in China around 1715 and the early Ch’ien-lung reign (1736-1795).