Page 209 - 2019 September 13th Christie's New York Important Chinese Works of Art

927
A LARGE AND RARE BAMBOO LIBATION CUP
LATE MING-EARLY QING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY
The cup is carved in imitation of a rhinoceros horn cup, and is decorated Libation cups were popular during the late Ming to early Qing period, and
around the mid-section in shallow relief with a band of stylized archaistic this form predominantly appeared in rhinoceros horn. However, as discussed
motifs between key-fret borders, and a further band of taotie around the foot. by J. Chapman in The Art of Rhinoceros Carving in China, London, 1999, pp.
There are eight chilong clambering around the vessel and up the S-shaped 250-264, the form was used as a basis for works of art in a number of other
handle over the rim of the cup. materials including ceramics, hard stones, silver, wood and bamboo. The
5Ω in. (14.1 cm.) high, cloth box bamboo examples are those that are most accurately able to represent the
texture and patina of the original rhinoceros horn examples with the grain
closely resembling the fbers of the horn, as can be seen on the present
$12,000-18,000
example. For a related rhinoceros horn cup, compare the example from the
Mary and George Bloch Collection illustrated by T. Fok, Connoisseurship of
Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 88, no. 41.
明末/清初 螭龍饕餮紋竹雕仿犀牛角盃

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