Page 166 - Sothebys Speelman Gems of Chinese Art

3436

A SUPERBLY CARVED IVORY 清十七至十八世紀初
FIGURE OF A QILIN 牙雕麒麟吐水擺件

QING DYNASTY, 17TH –
來源：
EARLY 18TH CENTURY 倫敦佳士得2011年5月10日，編號218

the mythical creature powerfully depicted sitting on its
haunches with its tail curled alongside, its front paw slightly
raised, the body and muscular limbs finely detailed with
scales below a knobbed spine, its head alertly looking forward,
the finely combed curled hair swept back behind a single
horn, above bulging eyes with a penetrating gaze and flaring
nostrils, its mouth agape revealing sharp fangs, squirting a
downward spurt of water joining tumultuous foaming waves
forming the base, all supported on a silver-inlaid wood stand
h. 14.7 cm, 5¾ in.

PROVENANCE
Christie’s London, 10th May 2011, lot 218.

◉ HK$ 700,000-900,000
US$ 90,000-116,000
High quality ivory carvings, such as the present piece, are
likely to have been products of the Ivory Workshop belonging
to the Imperial Palace Workshops (Zaobanchu) located in the
Forbidden City. The strength of the carving is shown by the
toned musculature and expressiveness of the qilin, and the
soft, dynamic flow of their postures which masterly captures
the spirit of the animal.
The quality of the carving and the dynamism of the expression
and powerful poised body is reminiscent of that on a carving
of a lion with a boy and lion cub from the Qing court collection,
preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in
Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings. The
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum,
Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 160.
Depictions of qilin are a rare subject matter on works of art
created in the early Qing dynasty, in contrast to the more
commonly found Buddhist lion. For examples in cloisonné
enamel, see a single figure of a standing qilin from the Qing
Court collection, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing,
illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the
Palace Museum. Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong,
2002, p. 168, no. 160. See also the majestic pair of cloisonné
enamel qilin similarly depicted with one paw raised on
rockwork, from the Ruxton and Audrey Love collection, sold
at Christie’s New York, 20th October 2010, lot 610, and now in
the collection of Robert H. Blumenfield.

164 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比