Page 146 - Bonhams May 12 16 London

120Y Miniature gardens were highly regarded by the scholarly elites of
A PAIR OF PAINTED ENAMEL QUATREFOIL JARDINIÈRES WITH Late Imperial China. Deemed to function as analogues to their real
JADE AND HARDSTONE TREES counterpart, these model landscapes provided the learned men with
19th century a perfect escape from the world of mundane affairs. The peaked and
The jardinières painted on each side with an ogival cartouche pitted rocks occurring within these gardens were in fact reminiscent
enclosing sprays of blossoming flowers within gilt rococo borders, on a of mountains, whose ability to produce water, the life-giving element,
dense ground of lotus blooms and leafy tendrils, all brilliantly enamelled provided the closest connection with Heaven and the world of
in varying shades of blue within gilt bands of lappets, key fret and Immortals. Thus, in the same way as images of literary men surfaced
stylised acanthus leaves, each jardinière ‘planted’ with a gnarled tree on the walls of burials constructed during the period of turmoil that
bearing peaches and pomegranates highlighted with hardstone seeds, followed the Han dynasty, manuals containing instructions on how to
surrounded by flowering plants, rocks and a small image of a sage. build garden containers and scholarly items manufactured from natural
Each 53.5cm (21in) high (2). materials such as wood, bamboo, or unusual natural stones, became
increasingly popular from the Ming dynasty.
£30,000 - 50,000
HK$330,000 - 550,000 CNY280,000 - 460,000

十九世紀 銅胎畫琺瑯描金纏枝花卉紋嵌百寶盆景 一對