‘LADY’, IMPERIAL SCHOOL, QING DYNASTY China, 1644-1912. Ink and watercolors on fine silk. Masterfully painted with a young lady opening a window, wearing a loose-fitting robe with hems and collar decorated with lotus scroll, jewelry, and flowers in her hair, looking straight ahead with a subtle smile, a gnarled blossoming tree above her and craggy rockwork below.

Inscriptions: Center left, ‘Wuzhong Yanshan Qiaoke Yuan Chao’. One seal, ‘Zixin’.

Provenance: Collection of John and May Waldroup, assembled while living in Japan during the 1960s. John D. Waldroup (1926-2006) was an American accountant for Price Waterhouse in Manila, Philippines, where he met and married his wife May (b. 1930). In 1962, they moved to Japan, opening an office for Arthur Young and Co., as a partner of the firm.
Condition: Good condition with minor wear and soiling, creasing, minor losses and associated old repairs. Mounted.

Dimensions: Diameter 26 cm, Size incl. mounting 32.7 x 39.5 cm

Auction result comparison: Compare a related Imperial School painting of a court lady and boy, 98 x 60 cm, dated early 18^th century, at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art on 7 April 2010, lot 1826, sold for HKD 1,340,000.

清代御製《仕女臨窗圖》鏡心
中國，1644-1912年。絹本水墨設色。描繪了一位年輕的仕女正打開窗戶，她穿著寬鬆的常服，髮飾芙蓉珠寶發簪精美。她帶著似乎異常欣喜的微笑直視前方，身旁櫻花盛開。

款識：吳中研山樵客，袁潮
鈴印：子辛

來源：John 與 May Waldroup收藏，創建於上世紀六十年代他們生活在日本時期。John D. Waldroup (1926-2006) 是菲律賓馬尼拉普華永道的美國會計師，在那裡他結識並娶了他的妻子May（生於 1930 年）。 1962 年，他們移居日本，為 Arthur Young 公司開設了辦事處，作為公司的合夥人。
品相：狀況良好，有輕微磨損和汙漬、起皺、輕微缺損和相關的修補。

尺寸：畫面直徑26厘米，總32.7 x 39.5厘米

拍賣結果比較：比較一件相近的十八世紀初宮廷畫師的《嬰戲圖》，見香港蘇富比Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art 2010年4月7日 lot 1826, 售價HKD 1,340,000。