Six Chinese export 'Sericulture'  paintings, 19th century - Sotheby's

gouache on paper; part of a larger set, each portraying one step in the production of silk, from the gathering of mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms, to the spinning of silk and weaving of the fabric, framed and glazed. Height 16 1/4  in., 41.2 cm; width 21 1/4  in., 54 cm. Estimation: 20,000 - 30,000 USD

Note: The scenes of silk cultivation depicted on these paintings are based on an earlier set of twenty-three paintings by Jiao Bingzhen (active 1689–1726) depicting the steps involved in the entire process. These paintings were cut as woodblocks in 1696 and the prints widely distributed.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York | 19 mars 2013 - www.sothebys.com