Chinese School, 19th century or earlier 十九

Chinese School, 19th century or earlier 十九世纪或更早 One Hundred Auspicious Subjects, eight works 百寿百吉祥卷轴画 一套八幅

Ink and color on silk, mounted as a handscroll, inscribed and sealed as follows:

Begining of the mount:
Three seals:道光鉴赏(Daoguang jian shang) "Daoguang’s appreciation"; 养正书屋鉴赏之宝 (yang zheng shu wu jian shang zhi bao) "Treasure from Yangzheng book hall’s collection"; 虚心实行(xu xin shi xing) "Be humble and steadfast"

Painting 1
百子丰登图 (bai zi feng deng tu) "Abundance of One Hundred Boys"
31 7/8 in. by 10 in.
One seal upper right: 道光鉴赏 (Daoguang jian shang) "Daoguang’s appreciation"; another seal upper left: 千里 (Qian li); Inscribed in ink on lower right, “John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860 Painted about 800. AD”

Painting 2
百鹤添寿图 (bai he tian shou tu) "Extending Longevity with One Hundred Cranes"
32 7/8 in. by 10 in.
One seal upper left: 道光之宝 (Daoguang zhi bao) "Daoguang’s treasure"; another seal lower left; Inscribed in ink on lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

Painting 3
百花献瑞图 (bai hua xian rui tu) "One hundred flowers bringing good fortune"
32 7/8 in. by 10 in.
One seal upper right; another seal lower right: 赵氏千里 (zhao shi Qian li); Inscribed in ink on lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

Painting 4
百爵眉寿图 (bai jue mei shou tu) painting of one hundred Chinese Huamei chanting longevity
33 in. by 10 in.
One seal upper left:养正书屋 (yang zheng shu wu) “Yangzheng book hall” ; another seal lower right; Inscribed in ink on lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

Painting 5
百鸟朝凤图(bai niao chao feng tu) "One Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix"
32 5/8 in. by 10 in
One seal upper right: 道光 (Daoguang); another seal central left: 千里 (Qian li); Inscribed in ink lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

Painting 6
百子万孙图 (bai zi wan sun tu) "One Hundred Sons and Ten Thousand Grandsons" (One hundred fruits representing abundant generations)
31 7/8 in. by 10 in.
Three seals upper right; another seal lower right: 赵氏千里 (zhao shi Qian li); Inscribed in ink lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

Painting 7
百兽率舞图 (bai shou shuai wu tu) "One Hundred Beasts Dancing"
31 7/8 in. by 10 in.
One seal upper left: 日进无疆 (ri jin wu jiang) “Always improving with no limits”; another seal to lower left: 赵氏伯驹; Inscribed in ink on lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

Painting 8
百喜捷报图 (bai xi jie bao tu) "One Hundred Magpies Bringing Good News"
32 in. by 10 in.
One seal on upper left; another seal on lower left: 赵氏千里 (zhao shi qian li)
Inscribed in ink on lower right, "John Gibson H. M. consular service 1860"

End of the mount
Two seals: 道光之宝 (Daoguang zhi bao) "Daoguang’s treasure"; 养正书屋 (Yangzheng shu wu) “Yangzheng book hall” (these appear to directly correspond to the impressions found in Guo Fuxiang, "Qing Dai Di Hou Xi Yin Pu", Volume 10, Daoguang, Palace Museum, p.22).

Qty: (1)

Property formerly in the collection of Harry J. Haon II (1901-1989), thence by descent

Haon was employed by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, and was promoted in 1954 to the Foreign Relations Department as Manager of the European Office, London, England, until his retirement in 1962. Mr. Haon continued to live part-time in London into the late 1970s. It is believed that many of the Asian arts in his collection were acquired during this time in London.

Footnote:

The ink inscription found on each painting likely refers to John Gibson (1834-1969), of Her Majesty's Consular Service, posted to Shanghai in 1859. Gibson took part in the 1860 campaign which culminated in the Peking Convention, and was later posted to Tientsin from 1861-1864.