Chinese painting "Calligraphy", Qing dynasty.

Ink on paper with gold splashes, with cloth frame. Depicts a character "夀" (Shou) meaning longevity. On the top it has a seal: "慈禧皇太后御笔之宝" (The royal treasure of Empress Dowager Xiaoqinxian). This empress lived in the Guangxu period between 1835 and 1908. At the end of the Qing dynasty they used to write calligraphy to make thanks, especially with the characters "Dragon", "Fu" and "Shou".

On the frame there are two written texts referring that the work was given in the year 1907 in an official ceremony to an important minister of the Qing dynasty, named Natong (1857 - 1925), for his fiftieth birthday. 

Text: "光緒三十二年七月二十三日 / 賜 經筵講官 體仁閣大學士外務部會辦 大臣步軍統領臣 那桐 五十生辰"

Size: 128 x 65.50 cm; Total size: 218 x 78.20 cm

Provenance: Private collection, France.