The fragment of handscroll is the work of Wang Hui (1632-1717) and shows Emperor Kangxi’s visit to the city of Changzhou. It is part of the sixth of 12 scrolls which record the Emperor’s visit to the southern reaches of his territorial holdings in the 1689.
The Kangxi Emperor’s six southern inspection journeys helped extend and solidify Manchu rule throughout the empire during his 60 year reign.
Despite the detail and colour that define the paintings, the scrolls were not created as public record of the emperor’s journey. Instead they were purposefully created as historical documents and were kept in a storeroom with maps and imperial portraits.
Today, 10 of the scrolls are stored in institutional collections, including the third handscroll which is currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The whereabouts of the fifth scroll are unknown.
The sixth handscroll is believed to have been broken up by a French collector in the 1930s, and in 2014 two other fragments were sold by French auctioneer Alain Briscadieu. The fragments took €1.17m and €720,000 including buyer’s premium.
Two fragments of the sixth scroll are still missing.
Sotheby’s New York, who will auction the fragment at their upcoming sale during Asia Week, describe it as a “tremendous illustration of the intersection of politics, history and art.” The longest and best preserved fragment of the sixth scroll, it is estimated at $4m – 6m.
The Roy and Marilyn Papp Collection
The September auction where the scroll will appear is made up entirely of works from the collection of the late banker-collector Roy Papp and his wife Marilyn who died earlier this year.
Their extensive collection of Chinese painting, which they started amassing in the 1970s, includes a variety of media, including hanging scrolls and fans, as well as subjects, including landscapes and animal pictures.
“This comprehensive overview of works from the Ming and Qing Dynasty includes a tremendous range of artists, exploring a variety of themes,” said Rongde Zhang head of sales for classical Chinese paintings.
“We are honoured to offer the collection, which has been off the market for 25 years, to connoisseurs in the United State and beyond,” Zhang added.
The 122-lot auction is estimated at $10m – 15m.
The sale will take place on September 14.
