Masters and Servants, Qing dynasty, 19th century | 清十九世紀 〈主僕情牽〉 一冊十二幀全 設色絹本

This album probably depicts a yet to be identified story centring on the dynamics between masters and servants, particularly a favourite one with an androgynous face. The scenes are set in an opulent mansion. It approaches a narrative that was clearly against the social code of conduct with a sense of humour. The album opens with the courtship of a duo implied by a pair of frolicking dogs nearby; their lavish robes suggest that they see each other as a peer within their elective relationship. In subsequent scenes the favourite servant has close escapes from being caught by family members. Popular themes such as voyeurism and unexpected seduction are employed. The scene with a master caresses his servant when the latter closes the blind is comparable to an illustration in the Scenes of Love album (lot 3663). In a scene depicting a visiting Buddhist abbot, a young monk falls prey to the seduction of the master, recalling the religious hypocrisy common in vernacular tales. For further discussion on individual scenes, see ibid.