Page 26 - 2021 March 18 to 19th, Important Chinese Works of Art, Christie's New York City

PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE NEW YORK COLLECTION
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A VERY RARE PAIR OF FAMILLE ROSE ALTAR ORNAMENTS The origins of the Seven Royal Treasures can be found in Indian
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARKS IN IRON RED AND OF mythology, where only the “wheel-turning sage king” (cakravarti-raja in
THE PERIOD (1736-1795) Sanskrit) possessed the treasures, which would aid him in ruling his
kingdom. The Seven Royal Treasures where later inherited by Buddhism,
Representing two from a set of the Seven Royal Treasures, one depicts
and came to be used as offerings presented to the Shakyamuni Buddha.
the Able Minister kneeling with the proper left knee raised, the right hand
The Seven Royal Treasures also came to be associated with the sage
holding a flaming pearl and with a long, green sash flowing around the
kings of Chinese mythology, and this appealing connection increased
shoulders and out to the sides. The other depicts the Lady with a blue
their popularity as decorative motifs in the Imperial palaces.
chignon and a gilt crown, and holding a flaming pearl, with a flame-like
ribbon rising from the shoulders and out to the sides. Each figure is raised
Altar ornament sets of the Seven Royal Treasures were made in various
on a circular pedestal decorated with bands of petal and foliate lappets,
materials. See, for example, a set carved from spinach jade, raised on
which is supported on a vertical post flanked by foliate scrolls, issuing from
white jade and silver-inlaid zitan stands, in the Palace Museum, Beijing,
a beribboned vase above a rounded stepped foot with three decorative
included in the exhibition China: The Three Emperors 1662-1795 at
bands of floral scrolls and petal lappets.
the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, cat. no. 45 (Fig. 1), and an
11¬ in. (29.5 cm.) high (2)
enamelled gilt-copper set also in the Palace Museum, Beijing, included
in the exhibition Buddhist Art from Rehol: Tibetan Buddhist Images
$80,000-120,000 and Ritual Objects from the Qing Dynasty Summer Palace at Chengde,
Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1999, cat. no. 69. Five sets of the Seven Royal
Treasures, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, made in gilt-bronze
清乾隆 粉彩七珍「玉女寳」及「主藏臣寳」 礬紅六字篆書款
and some with the treasures carved in jade, were included in A Special
Exhibition of Buddhist Gilt Votive Objects, Taipei, 1995, cat. nos. 22 to 26.
The present pair of altar ornaments are part of a set of seven, known Very few sets of the Seven Royal Treasures survive outside of museum
as the Seven Royal Treasures (qizhengbao or qizhen). These treasures collections, and it is unusual even to find a pair of altar ornaments
consist of the Golden Wheel, the Horse, the Elephant, the Loyal General, from a set. Surviving porcelain examples are even more rare, due to
the Able Minister, the Lady, and Divine Pearls. The present pair represent the elaborate modelling and the fragility of the material. A single altar
the Able Minister (who holds authority over the military to defend the ornament depicting the Lady (but catalogued as Budai), and raised on
borders from attack) and the Lady (who serves as the virtuous wife of a doucai stand, is on display at the British Museum, London, reference
the king). Franks.1613, donated by Sir Augustus Wollaston Franks (1826-1897). A
pair of famille rose altar ornaments from a set, consisting of the Elephant
and the Horse, was sold at Christie’s London, 8 June 2004, lot 437.
Another pair of famille rose ornaments, both with the Divine Pearls, was
offered at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 5 October 2016, lot 106.
(marks)

Fig. 1. Seven green jade and gilt-copper alter ornaments, 18th century, the largest 36.1 cm.
high. The Palace Museum/Image copyright © The Palace Museum. After Special Exhibition
of Buddhist Gilt Votive Objects, Taipei, 1995, p. 126-27, cat. no. 226-26.
圖一 清十八世紀 青玉嵌寶七珍，最大尊高36.1公分。故宮博物院/圖片版權所有 © 故
宮博物院。載於《金銅佛教供具特展》, 臺北, 1995年, 頁 126-27, 226-26號。