'THE TEA SHOP', QING DYNASTY China, probably Canton, 19^th century. Ink and watercolor on silk. Depicting a tea warehouse, one room with workers sorting the tea on long tables, while the tea is packed into large boxes in the background. In the front there is a salesroom with various signs, the crowded room with salesmen selling tea to customers, all within a coastal area (most likely Canton), with mountains in the background and two sailing boats.

Inscriptions: The signs show the name of the tea shop, 'Yushen chahao', and the different kinds of tea which are for sale.
Provenance: Belgian trade.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, little foxing.

Dimensions: Image size 63.5 x 52.3 cm, Size incl. mounting 70.8 x 59.5 cm

In the early seventeenth century, the Dutch India Company introduced Chinese tea to Europe, creating a global market that remains today. Farmers all over China grew tea as one of various crops on their small land holdings. These crops were then transported across mountains to wholesale centers where dealers from China and Europe gathered to select the teas they wanted. The tea was further transported to ports. On its arrival, a second selection process took place, with agents acting for the various companies, delivering their goods to European and American countries.

Primarily produced for export in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the thriving port of Guangzhou, gouache images of tea, silk, and porcelain production were popularly produced by studios of artists. While illustrating Chinese commerce and agricultural modes of production, these aesthetics of the opaque gouache painted images would mimic the appearance of oil on canvas, with the entire surface covered with color, and abandoning the Chinese tradition of leaving the sky or water unpainted. The present silk painting, however, is painted in a decidedly Chinese style and focuses on the tea shop itself, instead of the production of tea, and is thus a rare example.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Christie's London, 7 November 2019, lot 37
Price: GBP 90,000 or approx. EUR 113,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Chinese School, circa 1820, Tea production - a set of twelve paintings
Expert remark: Note the lot consists of twelve paintings



清代外銷畫《製茶商鋪》
中國，十九世紀，可能來自廣東，絹本設色。水墨繪製了一個製茶商鋪，可見工人們在分揀茶葉與包裝茶葉。與後院緊鄰著的是一個茶鋪，牆上畫滿了各種茶葉名字，生意興隆。鋪子臨水，可見傳統山水畫意。

來源：比利時私人收藏。
品相：狀況極好的條件，輕微磨損、褐變。

尺寸：畫面63.5 x 52.3 厘米，總70.8 x 59.5 厘米

十七世紀初，荷蘭印度公司將中國茶葉引入歐洲，創造了一個延續至今的中國茶葉市場。中國各地的茶農種茶，來自中國和歐洲的經銷商聚集茶鄉挑選茶葉，選出來的茶葉會在港口進行第二次選擇，然後代理商將茶葉送到歐美國家。

外銷畫產生並興盛於十八、十九世紀，集中在廣州十三行一帶。為迎合西方社會熱衷中國趣味和風尚，廣州畫師採用西方的繪畫顏料和技法，繪製帶有中國風情的圖畫，銷售給來華的洋人。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦佳士得，2019年11月7日，lot 37
價格：GBP 90,000（相當於今日EUR 113,000）
描述：1820年一組十二幅《製茶商鋪》
專家評論：請注意此組畫有十二幅。