Pair of 17th Century Chinese Huaniaohua Paintings with Gilded Frames

The pair showcases beautiful floral scenes in the centuries old tradition of Chinese hand-painted scrolls joined together with a handmade silk backing and mounted on a wood frame. The original gilded frames reveals the date of mounting to be approximately early 19th century. Historically, the placement on silk was for transporting scrolls and typically where seal of ownership was placed. The writing on one of the pieces states “Sun Set Chang c. 1665 (formerly in the collection of Takeuchi the Japanese minister to China)” which makes the origin of these pieces during the Qing Dynasty.

The aged lines, distress, and wear of the scrolls reveal to us the history and authenticity of the 17th century, a politically turbulent yet creatively dynamic period in China’s history.