Page 29 - Later Chinese Bronzes from the Collection of Ulrich-Hk 2014

Later Chinese Bronzes from the Collection of Ulrich
Hausmann
Hong Kong | 08 Oct 2014, 11:45 AM | HK0558

LOT 3318

A GOLD AND SILVER-INLAID BRONZE BOWL
LATE MING DYNASTY, DATED IN ACCORDANCE TO 1616 OR 1556

the deep rounded sides rising from a short footrim to an everted mouthrim, the exterior
cast and chased with a continuous scene of Wang Xizhi watching the goose, and Meng
Haoran watching the prunus, all amidst a wondrous landscape laden with pavilions, jagged
cliffs and large overhanging pine trees, all between two silver-inlaid key-fret bands
bordering the mouthrim and footrim, the countersunk base inlaid in silver wire with a four-
character bingchen nianzhi cyclical date
9.3 cm., 3 5/8 in.
ESTIMATE 150,000-200,000 HKD
Lot Sold: 1,180,000 HKD

CATALOGUE NOTE

The quality of the gold and silver inlaid decoration on the wine cup is reminiscent of that on the finest cast works of Hu
Wenming. However, his workshop specialised in incense-related objects and is not known to have made wine cups.
The current wine cup appears to be closely related to the shallow bronze dish illustrated by Paul Moss, The Literati
Mode, Sydney L. Moss, London, 1986, pp. 294-295. That dish demonstrates the same subtle and fluid variation of
depth in the relief, which in combination with the skilful use of the different surface colouring gives a strong three-
dimensional impression.