A pair of very large 'winder landscape' painted porcelain tile panels by Liu Heng

Description:

China, signed Liu Cheng, dated 1934, Republic period
Je/each 152 x 46 cm / 189 x 78 cm
Each panel set with a large vertical porcelain plaque, finely painted in the grisaille technique with subtle polychrome enamels, depicting expansive snow-covered river and mountain landscapes. The intricate, high-quality composition features multi-tiered palace halls, waterfront pavilions showing the silhouettes of scholars, covered walkways, and stone arch bridges, all interspersed with gnarled pine trees laden with snow, conversing figures, and solitary fisherman in their sampan boats on icy waters. Inscribed to the upper section with poetic calligraphy. The plaques are complementary titled: Xue jì han jiang (The snow clears over the cold river) and He jiang deng lou (Ascending the pavilion at the confluence of rivers) respectively. Both signed: Yuzhang Liu Heng, dated to the early winter of the Jiaxu year (1934), painted in Zhushan (Jingdezhen). Sealed. Each mounted in a wooden frame, partly openwork carved, with brass hangers at the top.
Old European private collection - Very minor traces of age