Chinese School Qing dynasty, Circa 1795-1815

depicting various merchant vessels at anchor, some at half-mast, including British, Dutch, American, Swedish, Danish and Prussian ships, in a carved giltwood frame

Collection of Countess Danneskiold-Samsóe, Hedriborg Castle, Denmark.
Arne V. Schlesch & José Juárez, New York (until 1985).
Thereafter with the present owner.

Attractive visual condition, canvas wax lined, craquelure throughout, vertical and lower horizontal stretcher bar marks, under Uv light scattered patches of inpainting including 5 by 1 1/2 inch area under upper left edge in sky, 1 1/2 by 3 inch to upper left in sky, 3 by 1/2 inch above central hill in sky, 1/4 by 2 inch to lower right in sky, 1/2 inch to center right in sky, 1/2 by 8 inch along upper right edge, 1 1/2 by 1 inch to lower left, 3 by 1 1/2 inch above center of lower edge, and a few scattered small touches, and lines along stretcher bar marks, not very much among ships and water
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A smaller (7 3/4 by 12 7/8 in.) related example in the collection of the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA, attributed to a follower of Spoilum, circa 1815, is illustrated in Carl Crossman, The Decorative Arts of the China Trade, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1991, pl. 38, p. 114. The present work is larger than most of the examples that have come onto the market in recent years. The execution and vantage point of the present example is very similar, with slight variations in ships and buildings, to an even larger version acquired by Felix Laurent in Canton, circa 1791, offered at Christie's London, 19th June 2001, lot 260.  A smaller (17 1/2  by 23 1/4  in.) painting with very similar composition was sold in these rooms, 7th April 1988, lot 63.