Page 151 - Bonham's Asian Art London November 12, 2015
P. 151
The present lot is a fine example of the ingenious jade workmanship
achieved during the Qianlong period, as is particularly exemplified in
the outstanding openwork carving of the jade stand.
The design and craftsmanship of the bowl and stand is clearly derived
from Mughal jades, which were identified by the Qianlong emperor
as ‘Hindustan’ jades. Mughal jades originating in India were highly
admired by the emperor as demonstrated by the very large number
of extant examples from the Qing Court Collection and now in the
National Palace Museum, Taipei; see Teng Shu-p’ing, Exquisite
Beauty: Islamic Jades, Taipei, 2007 (for related openwork examples
see pls.193-195, 207 and 208). The admiration and demand for
Mughal jades affected the design of jade carving in second-half 18th
century China, and the present bowl and stand is a fine example of
the combination of styles, utilising to a great effect the overlapping
reticulated lappets encircling the shou-character medallion. The
precise fitting of the bowl onto the stand, allowing for greater stability
and ability to rotate the bowl upon it, are noteworthy and a further
testament to the masterful carving.
The pair to the present bowl and stand was sold in these rooms on 14
May 2015, lot 109.
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