'A LADY PLAYING THE QIN', IMPERIAL SCHOOL, QING DYNASTYChina, 18th-19th century. Ink and watercolors on silk, mounted as a hanging scroll. Depicting a Manchu court lady elegantly seated and dressed in an informal robe, playing the qin (zither) on a magnificent burlwood altar table of naturalistic design. On its top we also find a tiered box, a small censer, and a square-form vase with flowers, all on finely hand-carved wood bases.Provenance: British private collection. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, little creasing and soiling. Some tears to mounting.Dimensions: Image size 104 x 52 cmThe subject of a Manchu court lady, seated playing a qin, evokes culture, taste, refinement, and scholarly accomplishment - all the characteristics male scholars would also strive to possess.Literature comparison: Imperial School paintings of culturally sophisticated courtesans can be seen in Twelve Beauties at Leisure Painted for Prince Yinzhen, the Future Yongzheng Emperor, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in China: The Three Emperors, Royal Academy of Art, London, 2005, cat. no. 173.Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related painting at Sotheby's Hong Kong in Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art on 8 October 2014, lot 3657, bought-in at an estimate of HKD 450,000-650,000.清代宮廷繪畫《彈琴仕女圖》中國,十八至十九世紀。絹本設色,挂軸。一位宮廷侍女身著精美常服,優雅地在庭院中彈奏古琴。石桌上可見文房用品如小香爐、紅色漆盒與方形花瓶,所有這些器具都放置在手工雕刻在精美的木底座上。來源:英國私人收藏 品相:狀況極佳,小磨損,輕微皺痕和污漬。裝幀処有些小水跡。尺寸:畫面 104 x 52 厘米 拍賣結果比較:一件相近作品見香港蘇富比n Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art拍場2014年10月 8日 lot 3657, 估價HKD 450,000-650,000.