Chinese Merchant with Sail Cart from Wahlen's 1844 Lithographs
€ 160
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1844
Sheet size
25.7 × 17 cm (10.1 × 6.7 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-12722-10
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Given age. Faintly browned, and with some small stains. Some glue remains (from binding) in the far left margin (not affecting image). General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study the scans.
About this sheet
This hand-colored lithograph titled Marchand Chinois – Voiture à voile (Chinese Merchant – Sail Cart) is from the Asia volume of Auguste Wahlen’s "Moeurs, Usages et Costumes de tous les Peuples de Monde" (Customs, Manners and Dress of All the Peoples of the World), published in 1844.
The print shows a Chinese merchant pulling a cart equipped with a sail to aid movement. The lithograph was produced using hand-colored techniques on vellum paper, with the use of Arabic gum enhancing the vibrancy of the colors.
Notable Features: - Sail Cart: The cart is loaded with goods for trade and features a sail, a practical innovation to harness wind power to make the merchant's journey easier. This illustrates the resourcefulness of merchants in 19th-century China. - Merchant: The man pulling the cart is simply dressed, indicative of his profession. His posture and physical effort reflect the labor involved in long-distance trading and transportation during that era.
Attractiveness: The lithograph is visually captivating due to its detailed depiction of the merchant's cart, including various trade goods such as baskets, jars, and tools. The sail cart adds an element of uniqueness, drawing attention to the ingenuity of traditional Chinese merchants. The use of color and attention to everyday trade activities offers an appealing mix of art and ethnographic documentation.
