Chinese Miniature Painting of a Junk C1880 Provenance ‘Commodore Demetrio Cinatti’

A small oval painting of a Chinese junk at sea

Chinese C1880

Height: 18.5 cm

A label on the reverse in Portuguese “Baby of Colette”.

With the attached provenance

‘Commodore Demetrio Cinatti when he was Governor of the Port of Macau, where he was charged with the protection of all shipping from the Chinese pirates who then infested those seas, bought this little picture in 1880 as a present to a little niece who was the daughter of his sister Celeste. So he wrote on the back in Portuguese “for the baby of Celeste”

A translation from the Universidade Catolica Portuguesa:

1878- By ordinance of June 25, 1878, he was appointed an officer of the Macao Port Police, a position he held until 1880, when he became the Captain of the Sea Police with the Acting Captain of the Port of Macao.  On July 28, 1880, he assumed the duties of Captain of the Port of Macao.

Praise

1874 – Praised by the Governor of Macau “for the constant and distinguished services he has provided effectively to reduce the evils caused by the typhoon destroyer on the night of October 22 to 23, 1874”.

1875 – Commended by the Governor Of Maca0 “for his readiness, courage and good behaviour for what happened in the landing column in the village of Tai-Tio, in order to protect the shipment to the woods that the pirates of this town stole from a China of Taipa”.

1879 – Praised by the Governor of Macao “for being ready to accumulate services without the accumulation of salaries, [and] still more, for the knowledge, zeal and dedication of which he gave evidence in the topographic works of the Tombo Commission”.

1880 – Praised by the Governor of Macau “for the proficiency and dedication with which he performed the important service as member of the Subsidiary Committee of the Census of the Maritime Population of the Port of Macau”.

1881 – Praised on behalf of His Majesty El-Rei “for the many scrupulous care he has taken in the full performance of his important service as a member of the Subsidiary Commission for Census of the Maritime Population of the Port of Macau”.

1881 – Commended “for the activities, zeal and dedication for the performance of his position and for the important services rendered at the time of the typhoon of October 14, 1881”.

1882 – Praised by the Society of Geography of Lisbon for the survey of the city plant and Port of Macau.

1910 – Praised by His Majesty the King “for his dedicated and intelligent co-operation with General Joaquim Jose Malhado, High Commissioner of Portugal for the delimitation of Macao and its dependencies”.