Page 16 - Christie's London May 14, 2019 Dragon Throne For The Son Of Heaven

REGAL ENCOUNTERS

A CARVED POLYCHROME LACQUER THRONE WITH CLOUD AND DRAGON DESIGN

Zhang Rong, Shou’angong, Forbidden City

In terms of furniture classifcation, the category the decoration. The entire throne is covered in efort to master the various techniques, but also
‘thrones’ applies to a range of seat forms carved polychrome lacquer, a fnish that would considerable patience and attention to detail.
including throne chairs, beds or couches, or have required the lacquer to be applied in three Against an imperial backdrop, there was no room
low-back daybeds. As to function, these not colours (i.e. yellow, green and red), with each whatsoever for laxity or carelessness in making
only served practical purposes, but were also colour being applied in multiple layers before any court wares, let alone a throne meant for
unmistakable status symbols in imperial China, the next could be painted on top. While a yellow the emperor’s personal use. The development
intended solely for the use of ruling emperors. lacquer ground carved with lozenges represents of carved lacquer reached its zenith during the
They were often placed in the main audience water in the natural world, green lacquer is Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, and the
chambers the emperor would visit, accompanied employed to contrast with the red clouds, and the Zaobanchu, with the country’s most accomplished
by throne screens and court fans, among other central motif of dragons amidst clouds is carved craftsmen at its disposal, spared no efort and
accessories, to emphasise imperial power and in red. On the central panel of the backrest is a money in its production. A great variety of lacquer
prestige. Apart from court fans, thrones in major front-facing encircling dragon, which sports a wares were produced at the time. In addition to
halls on the central axis of the Forbidden City, freely fowing mane, fnely arched eyebrows, a a diverse array of carved lacquer, monochrome
such as the Hall of Supreme Harmony and Hall powerful wide-eyed gaze, open jaws with tongue lacquer, gilt-decorated polychrome lacquer, flled-
of Preserving Harmony, could also be fanked exposed, and a writhing sinuous body exuding in lacquer, painted gold lacquer, lacquer painted
by vases and elephants (together the Chinese both power and immense presence, all amidst a with tung oil (or Chinese wood oil), lacquer with
characters for “elephant” and “vase” form a rebus dense ground of swirling, ethereal clouds. Nine mother-of-pearl inlays and lacquer inlaid with
for the expression ‘May there be a peaceful carved dragons decorate the front and back of the hardstones, new varieties were also developed by
reign’), luduan (a mythical creature), cranes, and panels, and twelve additional dragons appear on incorporating jade and bamboo inlays, bringing
parfumiers, all to underline the idea that the the apron of the throne. The back of the panels the art form to new heights. Carved lacquers
emperor was indeed an able ruler. is carved with bats amongst clouds, with one represent an important variety developed in
bat holding a suspended qing (chiming stone) the Qianlong reign, yet the Zaobanchu records
According to the records of the Zaobanchu and twin fsh. In traditional Chinese culture, bats suggest that contemporary carved lacquer
(Board of Works), materials used for making indicate blessings and qing is a homophone of wares were not produced at the palace lacquer
thrones included zitan, huali, tree roots, deer horn the Chinese character for celebrations, while fsh workshop but by the Imperial Silk Manufactory
and Chinese lacquer, with the latter including are usually associated with wealth, so together at Suzhou as royal commissions. As to which
carved lacquer, painted lacquer, painted gold they provide a rebus for the wish fuqing youyu, or lacquer wares were to be made and how, the
designs against a ground of black lacquer, ‘May there be a superabundance of auspicious Zaobanchu would issue specifc instructions and
flled-in lacquer, gilt lacquer, mother-of-pearl happiness’. Synonymous with supreme imperial drawings to be followed by the Suzhou craftsmen.
inlaid lacquer, and gilt lacquer covered with a power, dragons were the most popular and Like the porcelains made at the Jingdezhen
clear lacquer. The throne screen with pierced extensively used primary imperial decoration, imperial kilns, the fnished lacquer wares were
designs now on display in the Hall of Supreme and remained one of the most exclusive status sent to the Forbidden City from Suzhou. As to
Harmony of the Palace Museum, for instance, is symbols associated with court wares. Throne whether they should bear inscriptions, and if so
a fne example of gilt lacquer covered with a clear screens also epitomised an emperor’s authority what was to be inscribed, such matters were also
lacquer. and ranked amongst the imperial articles outlined determined by the Zaobanchu.
in the Qing statutes, and the fnest examples
The item discussed here is a throne decorated By referring to the Palace Records of the
from the Qing dynasty are often celebrated for
in carved polychrome lacquer, with an overall Workshops of the Imperial Household Department
their exquisite dragon designs.
height of 112.5 cm. and a seat measuring 53.6 (hereinafter referred to as “palace records”), the
cm. high, 104.8 cm. long and 74.5 cm. wide. It is Carved lacquer is one of the most time- Archives of Imperial Display, and the Complete
a fve-panel throne, the stepped back of which consuming and challenging approaches to Collection of Porcelains in the Qing Palaces and
is formed of a higher central panel fanked by making lacquer wares. The application of each Auditing Report on Palace Items, the current
lower ones on either side. The rectangular seat layer of lacquer requires a day or two before the author has examined all relevant information
is raised on a waisted apron, and the structure next can be added on top, and a throne such and documents about the production of carved
is supported on four inward curving rounded as the current lot could have at least a hundred lacquer thrones, and about the carved lacquer
legs terminating in scroll feet and joined by layers. All the carving would have had to be thrones displayed in places such as the Forbidden
rectangular base stretchers. The seat is fnely done before the lacquer dried out completely, City and the Yuanmingyuan, as well as those
painted in red and green lacquer against a red so a single throne would have taken at least a presented as tributes by local oficials.
ground, and details of its foral designs are picked year to make. This not only required outstanding
out in gold, adding to the textural complexity of workmanship acquired through painstaking On the 21st day of the 10th month of the 7th year

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