A FINE PAIR OF EXPORT REVERSE-MIRROR PAINTINGS WITH GEORGE II GILT-WOOD FRAMES Qianlong (2)A FINE PAIR OF EXPORT REVERSE-MIRROR PAINTINGS WITH GEORGE II GILT-WOOD FRAMESQianlongEach depicting a pair of elegantly-dressed Court figures seated beneath large trees in river landscapes with buildings beyond, one with the figures seated beneath a tree in a fenced garden, the other with figures flanked by a flock of ship, within a George II (circa mid 18th century) gilt-wood frame. Both 97cm (38 1/8in) x 64cm (25 1/8in) including the frames. (2).清乾隆 宮廷人物風景圖玻璃畫（配喬治二世時期鎏金木框）一對Provenance: Sir Michael Oppenheimer (3rd Baronet, 1924-2020) and Lady Helen Oppenheimer DD (1926-2022), and thence by descent來源：Michael Oppenheimer 爵士（三代從男爵，1924-2020年）與Helen Oppenheimer DD夫人（1926-2022年）舊藏，並由後人保存迄今The collection belonged to Sir Michael and Lady Oppenheimer DD (3rd Baronet, 1924-2020). Sir Michael's maternal grandparents were Sir Robert Grenville Harvey, 2nd Baronet (1856-1931) and Lady Emily Blanche Harvey (1872-1935) of Langley Park, Buckinghamshire. The Chinese art collection can be, at least in part, traced back to Langley Park, Buckinghamshire, home to the Harvey Baronets from 1788 until 1945.Sir Michael Oppenheimer's paternal family was the well-known South African mining family. The baronetcy was created in 1921 for Bernard Oppenheimer, Chairman of the South African Diamond Corporation for setting up diamond sorting factories to employ wounded ex-servicemen after the First World War. The family has been involved with De Beers over many decades. Lady Oppenheimer DD (1926-2022) was a distinguished moral and philosophical theologian, with a particular interest in the ethics pertaining to personal relationships.The practice of painting on glass and the flat glass itself were both introduced to China between the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Although the glass workshop were established in 1696 in the Forbidden City, no flat glass was produced and when attempts were made, it was reported that the manufacturers did not know how to manufacture it with the adequate materials; see B.de la Martinière, China, its Costume, Art Etc, London, 1813, vol.1. However, the large European mirrors which visiting European dignitaries presented to the Kangxi emperor in 1686, proved to be a revelation to the Chinese. The practice of painting on mirrors developed in China after 1715, following the arrival of Giuseppe Castiglione in Beijing. He found favour with the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors and was entrusted with the decoration of the Imperial Garden in Beijing. He learnt to paint in oil on glass, a technique that was unknown in China previously. Chinese artists, who were already well versed in painting and calligraphy, took up the practice by tracing the outlines of their designs on the back of the mirror plate and, using a special steel implement, scraping away the mirror backing to reveal the glass that could then be painted. Common designs included still lives, birds and groups of figures, usually depicted against backgrounds of rivers or pavilions.Many reverse mirror paintings were exported to Europe, following the increased interest in Chinoiserie style, which found the highest expression in the homes of wealthy aristocrats, such as Saltram House in Devon, owned by Lord Boringdon, and Shugborough Hall, lived in by the Earl of Lichfield; see T.Audric, Chinese Reverse Glass Painting 1720-1820, Berlin, 2020, pp.162-163.Compare with a related pair of reverse mirror paintings, third quarter of the 18th century, with similar gilt wood frames as the present examples, which was sold at Christie's New York, 20 March 2019, lot 820.is_parse: 20230413image: yuzhan_bonhams_item.jpgsold_price_type: £