Page 190 - Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets

1942.9-568 (C-42i)

Reticulated Box

Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722)
Porcelain with famille jaune enamels on the biscuit,
26.2 X 24.9 (l0 /8 X 9 /i6)
3
13
Widener Collection
TECHNICAL NOTES
The foot-ring is rounded, enclosing a recessed base covered Dongbin, holding a sword and fly-whisk; Han Xiangzi,
with a colorless enamel. The interior is covered with the same holding a flute; Zhangguo Lao, holding a scroll; and Li
colorless enamel. Tieguai, with an iron crutch and a bottle from which a
vapor emanates.
PROVENANCE The Eight Immortals were a popular group of Daoist
George R. Davies, Cheshire, England. (Gorer, London); transcendents that began to be worshiped in the late
(Dreicer & Co., New York, agents of Gorer, London); sold 1913
to Peter A. B. Widener, Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Song or early Yuan dynasty (c. thirteenth century). The
Pennsylvania; inheritance from Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by majority lived during the Tang dynasty (619-906),
gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, although some were reputed to have lived much earlier.
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. Gradually a body of myth grew up around the eight fig-
ures, and they appear in ceramics from the Yuan dynasty
HIS LARGE BOX HAS A HIGH, DOMED LID and a high foot. onward. Their leader was Zhongli Quan, shown here
TThe body is pierced with an overall honeycomb pat- holding a peach. A box such as this would have been an
tern. Along the meeting edges of the lid and box are hor- appropriate birthday gift for a man or woman over the
izontal bands of chevrons and flowers. The enamel age of sixty, when, in Chinese reckoning, one entire life
colors employed in the decoration are yellow, red, blue, cycle had been completed.
aubergine, and two shades of green. The quality of over- The lower half of the box is shaped similarly to the lid
all workmanship is very fine. and likewise is decorated with honeycomb panels depict-
On the top is a circular panel depicting Shou Lao, the ing boys at play against a yellow ground. One rides a hob-
Daoist God of Longevity, with a ruyi scepter. He is seated byhorse, while others play with a toy bird and a shield.
on a rocky platform under a pine tree, and a servant pre- These panels are enclosed by the same decorative bands
sents him with a red peach while a deer stands nearby. The as on the upper half of the box. The high, sloping foot is
pine tree, the peach, and the deer are longevity symbols. decorated with stylized ruyi lappets on a green ground.
Around the sides of the upper half of the box are eight SL
openwork ogival panels depicting the Eight Daoist
Immortals against a yellow ground. 1 The panels are NOTES
enclosed at top and bottom by a leafy diaper band and i. For a general discussion of the Eight Immortals in art, see
are separated vertically by bands with floral sprays. The Little 1988,10-11.
figures are shown with their attributes and can be iden-
tified as follows: Cao Guojiu, holding a jieban (a percus-
sion instrument); Zhongli Quan, holding a peach; Lan REFERENCES
Came, holding a ruyi scepter and a basket of flowers; He 1911 Gorer and Blacker: i: pi. 62.
Xian'gu, holding a lotus flower over her shoulder; Lu 1947 Christensen: 16.

174 D E C O R A T I V E A R T S