China trade painting

Authentic China Trade Paintings are notorious for extensive craquelure (fissures) in the painting’s surface.  Sometimes the fissures are delicate and thin, other times they are wide and disfiguring, breaking apart painted lines within the design as if it were a jigsaw puzzle gone awry.

The main reason for this structural problem is due to the fact that Chinese painters would often pre-paint canvases with backgrounds featuring Chinese harbors (Canton, Hong Kong or Whampoa) or the open ocean (either stormy or calm).  The artist would literally row out to the arriving ship in an effort to sell his art to the ship’s captain.  The captain would then choose a background to his liking and the artist would add an accurate rendition of the captain’s ship within days.  Often the canvas would be rolled, paint still wet, and tossed into the captain’s quarters.  Months or years later, the painting would be unrolled and displayed.  Eventually, a fine network of craquelure covered the entire canvas.

This distinguishing feature is often left alone and not filled in.  Sometimes, however, the craquelure is so disfiguring, it is recommended to do partial inpainting to bring the image together again.  As with every restoration, it is best for conservator and curator, or guardian, to carefully discuss the best and most ethical treatment plan.