《中國文化歷史及風情叢刊》(1776-91)為歐洲十八世紀下半期介紹中國的最重要書籍，亦為法國漢學之祖。編輯橫跨中法兩地，由法國在北京的傳教士蒐集資料或翻譯寄至法國，再由法方東方語言專家編輯審訂。叢刊第十二集刊出十八幅精美的孔子生平圖。孔子圖像出現在一個不屬他的文化系統，觀者為另一個文化族群，主題與風格如何做改變？新的文化意義為何？這一系列圖像由法籍北京傳教士錢德明根據明末孔子聖蹟圖手繪，與中國的原稿對照，第一幅孔子肖像，手上的筍引起祭祖聯想、改成不明的才暗形物，主要是耶穌會面對中西方的禮儀之爭所避開的祭祖或祭祀宗教聯想。第四幅孔子誕生圖則保留東方原稿孔子出生的仙人奏樂，但下方加上天主教聖母誕生，以中西混合的圖像方式讓孔子生平與聖經宗教人物作類比，喚起耶穌與聖母的圖像記憶，暗示西方讀者，耶穌會在中國的聊儒斥佛的傳教方式並無不妥。而孔子圖像經由東方中國原型融入了西方基督教的圖像與美學。

In the latter half of the eighteenth century the first fifteen volumes of Mémoires concernant les Chistoire, les sciences, les arts, les moeurs, les usages, etc. des Chinois (1776-91) (Mémoires concernant les Chinois), were the most important sources for introducing China to Europeans. They also marked the beginnings of Sinology in France. The editors were both French and Chinese. All the data were collected or translated by French missionaries in Beijing. The illustrations included philosophy, historical figures, military matters, music, and so on. There were eighteen exquisite pictures of Confucius in the twelfth volume. How were Confucian iconic themes and style modified when they were conveyed by those from a different culture? How did Chinese and Western iconographies merge, and with what new cultural meanings? This series of pictures was hand-drawn by French missionary Jean-Joseph-Marie Amiot (1718-93) in Beijing, in the style of the icons of Confucius from the late Ming Dynasty, and were further modified to reflect contemporary European politics and religion. The fourth picture depicted the birth of Confucius, which preserved the celestial figures playing musical instruments. Composite pictures in Chinese and western styles provided analogies between Confucius and the religious figures of the Bible. The icon of Confucius would remind its viewers of Jesus and the birth of the Virgin. This series of pictures was an effort by the Jesuits to seek a connection between Chinese and Christian culture, and to defend their stance on the ＜||＞Chinese Rites Controversy.＜||＞