China Trade painting, "Hongs of Canton", circa 1850.Painting is 23 inches by 15 inches in a frame 27 inches by 19 inches.///////////////////////////////////////(From Sotheby's.com an article by Louise Lui):"Trade between China and the West has proliferated throughout history, either through the Silk Road or maritime routes. With the closure of the silk routes across Persia to Asia by the Turks in the 14th and 15th centuries, Europeans looked for new ways to access the Far East and its highly coveted silk, tea, porcelains and luxury goods. The Portuguese were the first to achieve this at sea with Vasco da Gama, and the Spanish, Dutch and English quickly followed. By the end of the 18th century, England, Holland, France, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Spain and America all had an established presence in Canton, the only trading port open to foreigners as ordained by the Chinese court until the First Opium War. Images of this bustle of trade and commerce come down to us today in the form of China Trade Paintings, commissioned by merchants to take home as souvenirs. Interestingly many, if not all of the trading ports significant during this period remain highly important hubs of commerce today."

Good condition,there is craquelure all over the front of the painting, from age.It appears to have been professionally cleaned and restored in the last 30 years.Probably relined and restretched.No re-painting visible but restoration over 10% of the surface assumed.It is basically in top restored condition, as it would be shown in a museum.