Late 19th century Anglo-Chinese oil of the port of Canton – estimate £4000-6000 at Bonhams on May 10.
Estimated at £4000-6000, this late 19th century Anglo-Chinese oil depicts the port of Canton, now Guangzhou, as seen from the Honam waterfront.
The scene shown in this work once included the famous hongs (the factories and trading sites for the various countries that used the port) but they were destroyed by fire at the onset of the Second Opium War (1856-60) and never rebuilt.
The picture was acquired by the vendor from the Paul Mason Gallery, London, at the Grosvenor House Antiques Fair in 1987.
