Book of Chinese Pith Paintings, circa 1850
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Tall folio, 14 /2” x 9 3/4”, sewn binding with limp magenta silk wraps, shaken and some pages out, 12 paintings with embroidered borders. Plates are on Chinese rice or “pith” paper painted with gouache and backed by heavier rice paper. Unlike most pith paintings which are often a single subject on a white background, this collection features detailed backgrounds.
Provenance: Purchased by Ludwig Altshul during a visit to San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1871. After heavy use from the Altshul children, Altshul had this book rebound and painstakingly repaired by Madam Maria Lühr, Germany’s first known woman master bookbinder. who used Shanghai silk and embroidered ribbon to recreate the book’s original style. The Alshul family brought book back to California when they fled Germany during the nazi occupation. Patricia Altshul, Ludwig's grandaughter, is a working Sacramento artist.
Condition notes: Good/Fair, some paintings have tears or chips missing.