Page 174 - Christie's, NYC Important Chinese Works Of Art Sept. 22-23, 2022
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(details)
This extraordinary screen is exceptionally rare and no other example of province, Li passed the imperial examinations in 1670 and held several
a painted and embroidered screen from the Kangxi period appears to be important court positions, such as Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy,
published. Governor of Zhili and Grand Secretary, and served on the Board of War,
Board of Civil Service and the Board of Public Works. A twelve-panel Kangxi
The screen is inscribed with a dedication stating that the screen was screen sold at Christie’s Paris, 21 June 2006, lot 236, also bears the name of
offered in the autumn of 1688 by Shang Lian to an individual with the Li Guangdi.
surname Ye, for his seventieth birthday. The inscriptions include thirteen
poems by thirteen different scholars conveying wishes for longevity. The The deer and cranes embroidered on the screen symbolize long life, as they
scholars are Ma Hualong of Boling, Liu Bin of Qinchang, Feng Jiuling of are both companions of Shoulao, the God of Longevity. In addition, the
Yuwu, Fu Zhiben of Jinyang, Yan Lu of Hanfu, Li Guangdi of Danyang (chief Chinese word for deer is a homophone with the word for 'emoluments'. The
minister of the Kangxi period), Fang Yin of Huanyang, Li Chengtian of deer and crane can also symbolize a married couple. Shown together with
Wuyang, Ji Ming of Dongguang, Tang Jinjue of Wuqu, Lu Qing of Lechang, the pine tree, which is an evergreen, they form the rebus helu tongchun, 'may
Li Fatian of Wuyang, and Wang Shifan of Yinghai. the couple be forever young' or ‘may the universe enjoy longevity.’
The most prominent individual in this group is Li Guangdi (1642-1710), also The use of blue and green pigments for the mountains and rockwork evokes
known by his courtesy name, Jinqing, and his sobriquet, Hou’an, a powerful the blue-green typically found in traditional shan shui paintings. An example
neo-Confucianist court official during the Kangxi reign. A native of Fujian of an embroidered and painted panel with similarly decorated rocks is in the
collection of the Palace Museum, Taipei, K2C000191N000000000PAA.
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