Pauling’s
3516 Kansas St., West Covina, California 91792
626-236-8786
About Auction House
Pauling's is a Los Angeles-based auction house that specializes in Asian antiques. With 30 years of collecting experience, Pauling’s works to provide bidders with experience, knowledge, and service. The auction house also offers international appraisal services.Auction Previews & News
2 Results
Auction PreviewPrivate Collection of Guy E. Mayer Part 2
The upcoming Pauling’s auction will highlight the private collection of Guy E. Mayer, a New York gallery owner and an avid collector of Eastern arts. During a missionary trip to Japan in 1927, Mayer first encountered traditional Buddhist statues, paintings, and calligraphies. The sale will include more than 50 lots from his collection, including several paintings from Giuseppe Castiglione. A Jesuit priest and missionary, Castiglione traveled to China to paint for the Imperial court in the early 18th century. Many of his works bridged the gap between Eastern and Western art, as seen in several of the available lots. A large figure painting by Castiglione is among the highlighted items, depicting a battle between two opposing armies. Dozens of blue-clothed figures on horseback dominate the scene with twisted trees and mountains in the background. Also from Mayer’s collection is an anonymous arhat painting from the Ming dynasty. In Buddhism, an arhat is someone who has achieved spiritual enlightenment or nirvana. This painting shows a group of spiritual men praying, offering incense, and contemplating flowers. Other paintings from artists such as Huang Binhong, Qi Baishi, and Chao Shao-An will be available. Chao was a 20th-century painter who enjoyed a nearly 80-year career. He emerged after the fall of China’s last imperial dynasty and focused on blending international techniques with traditional Chinese painting. Chao’s available works are painted in bright shades of yellow, red, and blue and depict birds and tree branches. Several qin instruments are also available in this auction. Commonly known as guqin, meaning “ancient qin,” these seven-stringed instruments have been present in Chinese culture for over 3,000 years. One of the featured qins comes from the Qing dynasty and is decorated with teal blue tassels on one end. Examples of Chinese calligraphy will also come to auction in this event. Browse the complete catalog and register to bid on LiveAuctioneers.
Auction IndustryArtist to Know: Giuseppe Castiglione
Jesuit Painter of the Chinese Court Featured in Upcoming Auction An Italian missionary-turned-Chinese court painter, Giuseppe Castiglione spent over 50 years working with three different emperors in the Chinese palace. Seven of Castiglione’s paintings are coming to auction on April 18, 2020. Offered by Los Angeles-based auction house Pauling’s, these paintings present an uncommon opportunity to explore the artist’s work. Learn more about Castiglione’s life and legacy before the event. Portrait of Lady Hoja by Giuseppe Castiglione, image from Art History Project. Born in 1688, Castiglione entered the Jesuit religious order at the age of 19. Noting his artistic ability, the order sent him to the Chinese imperial court in Beijing a few years later. He soon assumed the name Láng Shíning (郎世寧, Peace of the World) and began to produce paintings for Emperor Kangxi. Castiglione’s presence in the court was an important development for both cross-cultural art and religious tolerance. According to the Executive Intelligence Review, “Castiglione believed in uniting and transforming both Chinese and European cultures through a pursuit of beauty and excellence in all domains of science, the arts, and engineering.” Castiglione completed a greater number of paintings for Kangxi’s son, Emperor Yongzheng. He created many studies of landscapes, animals, and flowers during this period, which are his earliest surviving works. Today, the South China Morning Post estimates that between 100 and 200 pieces of art from Castiglione remain. Many of these are housed in Beijing museums and private collections. However, it was during the reign of Emperor Qianlong that Castiglione completed the majority of his work. He made numerous portraits of the emperor, empress, and various consorts. To date, a depiction of Qianlong’s favored Consort Chunhui holds the highest auction record for a Chinese imperial tailoring portrait. It was sold in a 2015 Sotheby’s sale for HKD 137.4 million (USD 17.7 million). A Large Imperial Portrait of Consort Chunhui by Giuseppe Castiglione, image from Sotheby’s. Historically, Castiglione’s paintings have piqued bidders’ interest when coming to auction. Many of his paintings remain in the possession of Chinese and Taiwanese museums due to his artistic significance. Paragon International…
