In the style of Lang Shining (Giuseppe Castiglione), 'The Fragrant Concubine,' Qing Dynasty, 18th / 19th Century. photo Sotheby's

Oil on paper, framed; 27 by 19 1/2 in., 68.6 by 49.5 cm. Estimate 100,000—150,000 USD. Lot Sold 1,202,500 USD to an Asian Trade

PROVENANCE: Collection of William Haynsworth.
Sotheby's New York, 9th and 10th October 1987, lot 40.

NOTE: Few female subjects in the Chinese painting repertoire of the Qing dynasty have summoned the level of curiosity and myth-making as the woman seated in the present picture. Elegantly attired and gazing directly at the viewer, the young woman seated has inspired grand theories as to her identity and origins. In her most popular incarnation, she is known as the 'Fragrant Concubine'.

The legend of the 'Fragrant Concubine' appears have developed as a result of historical fact embellished with fanciful myths. Historically, it is believed that her name was Rong Fei, a Muslim of Uighur descent from the oasis city of Kashgar in Xinjiang province. In 1760 she entered the Imperial harem in Beijing as a sixth-ranked guiren or honored person. She lived in the Imperial palace until her death in 1788, by which time she was promoted to the fourth rank of fei, or consort. The 'Fragrant' mythology stems from the story of Qianlong's discovery of Rong Fei. Although her beauty was unsurpassed, it was her body's natural scent that the Emperor found captivating.

The present painting belongs to a genre that has fascinated scholars and collectors alike and can be traced to a related painting from the collection of Madame Chiang Kai-shek, published in Cecile and Michel Beurdeley, Giuseppe Castiglione: A Jesuit Painter at the Court of the Chinese Emperors, Fribourg, Switzerland, 1971, cat. no. 83. Madame Chiang's painting is attributed to Castiglione, and said to have been commissioned by the Qianlong emperor as a tribute to his favorite consort. The present painting depicts the woman in a sumptously embroidered blue robe, whereas the related painting features the sitter in a red robe. It is possible that the present painting was a version of the purported original.

For an example of another painting in this genre, attributed to the mid-19th century and laid down on canvas, see one sold at iGavel, 5th May 2010, no. 1773053.

The foundation of Jesuit-style influence in the painting is apparent in the careful shading of the woman's face. Contrast the fleshiness of her face with another portrait of one of Qianlong's concubines, illustrated in Paintings by the Court Artists of the Qing Court: The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 45, p. 201, where the woman's face is painted employing the traditional Chinese method of 'fine-line' painting.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art. 23 Mar 11. New York www.sothebys.com