Page 212 - Bonhams May 12 16 London

190 190 Y Ф
191 A RARE IVORY ‘POMEGRANATE’ CARVING
Qianlong seal mark, early 20th century
Naturalistically carved as a large pomegranate
fruit bursting to reveal the ripe seeds within and
attracting three insects, borne on gnarled branches
issuing further smaller fruit and blossoms, wood
stand. 12cm (4 3/4in) wide (2).

£2,000 - 3,000
HK$22,000 - 33,000
CNY18,000 - 28,000

二十世紀初 牙雕榴開百子
「乾隆年製」篆書刻款

Provenance: a distinguished European private
collection

來源： 顯貴歐洲私人收藏

The splitting pomegranate with many seeds or zi (
子 the same character for child) is a popular subject
in Chinese art as ‘a hundred seeds from a split
pomegranate’ (liu kai bai zi 榴開百子), encapsulates
the wish for the birth of many children, especially
boys.

Compare with a very similar ivory pomegranate,
Qianlong period, which was exhibited in the Hong
Kong Museum of Art and illustrated in Splendour
of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1992, pl.272.
Another very similar ivory pomegranate, dated mid
Qing dynasty, is illustrated in Gems from the South:
Traditional Crafts of Guangdong Province, Hong
Kong, 2002, pl.27.

A similar pair of rare ivory pomegranates, dated 18th
century, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 31 May
2010, lot 1889.

191
A GILT-LACQUERED WOOD CARVING OF
WEITUO
18th/19th century
The guardian of Buddhist teachings standing
astride and dressed as a warrior in finely carved
armour over flowing robes, the midriff with a fierce
mythical-beast mask girdle, the left hand raised in an
auspicious mudra, the face with a gentle expression
beneath an elaborate helmet, plinth.
69.8cm (27 1/2in) high (2).

£3,000 - 5,000
HK$33,000 - 55,000
CNY28,000 - 46,000

十八/十九世紀 木漆金韋馱立像

Provenance: a distinguished European private
collection

來源： 顯貴歐洲私人收藏

Weituo (Sankrit name Skanda) is a devoted
dharmapala, guardian of Buddhist monasteries who
guards the Buddhist teachings. Large figures of this
type, dressed as a Chinese warrior in the elaborate
armour worn by military heroes, are usually placed in
the first hall of a Buddhist monastery.