Zhou Piechun ca.1900

Picked this up with two others(not related) from a sale today.
He seemed to be an artist from the late 19th early 20th that found favor with the European and Americans collectors after the St Louis Worlds Fair. He depicted chinese living and had a store in Beijing. Image 10”H 12”W

I found this one online that is in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Second row down.
http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/results.html?searchTxt=&bSuggest=1&searchNameID=61492

There are absolute variances both in color choice and design. Mine is not a print. The signature matches and you can notice the texture of the paper. This is a Goddess that prayer to, would give you a son(translated from left). I think the actual artistic workmanship is better in my item then the museums.

Do you think it is possible that he made several of the same subject, just with variations, as he was not commissioned by any formal means? Or could mine be a good rendition ill signed?

 

Looking close up at your pictures yours looks to be maybe a litho.

 

Looking at the red parts in your picture compared to the ones in the links you provided yours looks to be really flat looking and more dark in color

 

I understand what you’re pointing to. But what logic would there be to change the babies cloth design, colors and so on. A lithograph would be the same I would think and I never saw copies change so much.

Not saying your wrong, just trying to work out the rational answer. Thank you for your input.

Also the coloring of the photo due to the lighing is not true to the picture, it is a lot lighter

 

It's a very lovely image.

I was going to say it could possibly be a woodblock print, but it's so similar to the paintings on the museum site that I think it could be another one like in their collection. Maybe send a good scan to them and see what they say?

 

Thank you Pat, yes I think that might be a good step forward.


Why would the museum cut out the artist signature(bottom left). I read that he always signed on the bottom left. The upper right is the description of the art?

Is it me, or does anyone else see something wrong with the museums ribbon seen here....
Not trying to be difficult, just wrapping my head around this.

 

If the ribbon is supposed to be pink on one side and blue on the other, it looks like the artist goofed, unlike in yours.

Artists are human and make mistakes.

 

My guess is the museum's images were cropped and that's why the signatures aren't seen.

 

In Chinese art my first thoughts are ink and/or watercolour, not woodblock prints or lithographs.
I think it is painted. And lovely. Whether the real deal or a copy, I don't know.

 

Thank you AJ for your comment. By looking at it with a microscope I see it as a painting too.

It would seem she is a very popular Goddess. I gather he fancied his impression of her highly.
Be mine authentic or not, it would have been done at a different time than these depicted(all from museum linked above and different Goddesses) below, all had the Swastika, for lack of the original name, head dress.

I’ll bet it was his wife or mistress

 

I think this is one where you need someone who knows the artist (not just art) to make the call.

I think the faces on the museum pieces are a higher skill level, but I did find myself wondering if you have a secondary artist... someone who "touched up" and added lavish details that the first artist did not seem inclined to include (for example, compare the petals around the necklines).

I'm also concerned about the back -- that's pretty messy/hasty work.

 

I think you are absolutely right. Thanks for your keen observation and a hoot to @rink28 too. I must say, my find looks so much better in person than snapping a picture of it, but side by side there is no doubt this is a different artist of lessor skills rendition.

Is there anyway I can take the bunch of you with me to my next hunt...

 

It's way easier to see this stuff when you're sitting at home in front of a computer -- and there's no danger of someone else snagging it out from under your nose.

In the field, if I think it's old and/or interesting enough, I'll buy the dust off the shelves. I'm really quite useless.

 

Not me, I have enough dust at home. Even vintage dust.
Maybe I should put it in a jar and sell it.