摘要：Castiglione, who lived for many decades in China before his death, served during the reigns of three successive Qing emperors, Kan

When Giuseppe Castiglione set out from his native Italy for the East in the early 18th century, the missionary couldn't have known that he'd end up serving in the court of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and would become known as a court painter under his Chinese name of Lang Shining.

Castiglione, who lived for many decades in China before his death, served during the reigns of three successive Qing emperors, Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, and it was under Qianlong that he became the court's favored artist.

Lang Shining left a body of paintings that depict royal events and ceremonies and landscapes. He introduced the Western technique of perspective, influencing Chinese painting for years after.

An album of 16 pieces painted in the flower-and-bird style attributed to Lang Shining was shown in Shanghai over the weekend as one of the highlights of Bonhams' Shanghai preview of its upcoming auction in Hong Kong late next month.

Also on show were ceramics, calligraphy, and Buddhist statues, some of which were from the collection of Jules Speelman, a leading collector and dealer of Asian art.

来源：湖南日报