Chinese School, late 19th Century Macau oil on canvas 45.7 x 78.1cm (18 x 30 3/4in). Footnotes: Provenance With Paul Mason Gallery, London. Acquired from the above at the Grosvenor House Antiques Fair, London, by the present owner in 1987. Macau is the oldest European settlement in China, having been leased to the Portuguese in the sixteenth century as a reward for their assistance tackling piracy in the surrounding waters. With the introduction of the Canton System in 1757 and the subsequent limiting of Chinese trade with the West until the close of the First Opium War in 1842, Macau took on an increasingly important role in trade with China. The combination of Western influence and the wealth of the city can be seen in the elegant European architecture along the distinctive curved promenade of the Praya Grande. Perhaps most distinctive in this view is the number of Catholic churches that can be made out on the skyline, with what appears to be the churches of St Laurence, St Joseph's, St Dominic's and St Paul's, along with the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady. The Fortaleza do Monte is prominently placed on the hilltop to the right of the scene, whilst Our Lady of Penha Church is placed atop Penha Hill to the left. This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: * * VAT on imported items at a preferential rate of 5% on Hammer Price and the prevailing rate on Buyer's Premium. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com