Sculpture of Ye Mingchen (1807 – 1859), with removable upper section over a lead oval container. Probably European, 19th century

A composite stone (?) sculpture of Ye Mingchen (1807 – 1859) formed as a bust sized sculpture with typical stylized, almost caricatured, features with the tilted-back official’s fur hat with a peacock feather and wispy beard with a robe or rank badge which appears to be incised with a design and a bead necklace emphasizing his portly physique. The bust rests on a waisted pedestal of rectangular shape with chamfered corners and arched feet. The upper section is removeable from the base to reveal a pewter or lead oval shaped container inset into the base with a removeable cover with a pierced bird shaped handle. This container has no obvious usage unless, possibly, it was a secret storage for opium given Yeh’s exceptionally strong stance on the use of opium and his antagonism toward the British who were supplying it.

Probably European, second half of the 19th century.

Provenance:

Keith Stevens (1927 – 2015), Hong Kong & Kent, England.

Ye Mingchen is described in Eminent Chinese of the Ch’ing Period (1644 – 1912) edited by Arthur W. Hummel, 1970, as “tall and bulky with little or no refinement of appearance or manner. Like many officials of his day, he was fortunate in passing the routine government examinations, and was then placed in positions of responsibility for which he was not filled”.

Captured by the British in 1856 after the Allied bombardment of Guangzhou Ye was taken by the British, in violation of diplomatic procedure, as a prisoner of war to Fort William, Calcutta in British India where he died a year later of sickness at Tolly Gunge just outside Calcutta.

Contemporary British public opinion regarded “Commissioner Yeh” as the embodiment of Chinese xenophobia and he was frequently caricatured in the British media. 

This portrait taken from Martyn Gregory’s catalogue (date unknown) shows a pen and ink profile portrait of Yeh after Henry Hope Crealock (1831 – 1891) inscribed “Yeh”, from a sketch taken at his capture in Canton / 5th Jany.1858 / by Major Crealock.

A photograph of Ye Mingchen attributed to Felix Beato (1832 – 1909).

Governor Ye Mingchen’s residence in Canton, photograph by Lai Fong (Afong studio), circa 1870.

Dimensions

Price on application

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Condition report

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