Page 78 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

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A FINE PAIR OF IMPERIAL BRONZE This pair of vases is impressive for their large size and lavish
ALTAR VASES decoration of dragons writhing amongst scrolling clouds, and
QIANLONG MARKS AND PERIOD embodies the grandeur and power of the Qianlong reign (r.
1735-1796). They are a successful marriage of archaism, as
seen in the ritual bronze hu form, with contemporary design. A
each body of pear shape raised on a high spreading foot to closely related vase, from the F. Gordon Morrill Collection, was
a tall flaring neck and straight rim, cast in high-relief around sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28th November 2012, lot 2254;
the exterior with dragons chasing flaming pearls amidst ruyi- two were sold in these rooms, one, 9th November 2016, lot
shaped cloud scrolls, the neck set with a pair of ribs joined by 142, the other, 8th November 2017, lot 46; and a larger pair
a pair of dragon handles suspending loose rings, all between was sold at Christie’s London, 15th May 2012, lot 188. See
classic scroll and keyfret bands at the rim and lotus lappet and also a pair of vases cast with phoenixes instead of dragons,
classic scroll bands at the foot, the side of the foot cast with which indicates that the pair may have been commissioned
the six-character mark in relief within a rectangle as a tribute to the Qianlong Emperor’s mother, from the
(2) Alfred Morrison collection, sold at Christie’s London, 9th
43 cm, 16¾in.
November 2004, lot 17.
PROVENANCE Such vases would have formed part of a five-piece altar
A Midwest private collection, USA, purchased in the 1960s. garniture made for specific temples in the Imperial Palace
and were generally commissioned as tribute to the emperor.
† £ 200,000-250,000 The imposing size would have created a dramatic scene
HK$ 2,030,000-2,540,000 US$ 259,000-323,000 during ritual ceremonies, thus emphasising the importance
and solemnity of such events. A set of altar garnitures
清乾隆 御製鑄銅雲龍戲珠雙耳活環大瓶一對 comprised of two larger vases of this type, two candlesticks
《大清乾隆年造》鑄款 and a censer, was sold in these rooms, 11th April 2008,
lot 2826; and an undecorated set of similar large size, in
來源 the Xianruo Temple, located in the garden of Cining Gong
美國私人舊藏, 購自1960年代 (Palace of Compassion and Tranquillity) within the Forbidden
City, where the empress and consorts conducted Buddhist
religious ceremonies, is illustrated in situ in Qingdai gongting
shenghuo, Hong Kong, 1985, pl. 467.
Compare also a pair of imperial bronze vases of square section
cast with dragons and phoenixes, made for one of the buildings
of the Yuanming Yuan (Old Summer Palace), sold three times
in our Hong Kong rooms, 29/30th April 1997, lot 730, again,
10th April 2006, lot 1537, and 9th October 2007, lot 1322.

76 SOTHEBY’S