Page 293 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

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propertY From an Important amerICan Boldly carved lanterns of this type were made The Palace Museum: Peking. Treasures of
CoLLeCtIon to serve a dual purpose of providing light the Forbidden City, London, 1982, p. 56; and
A PAIR OF LARGE IMPERIAL CARVED as well as decorating the imperial palaces. two pairs in the Yangxin Dian (hall of mental
‘ZITAN’ LANTERNS traditionally made mostly from paper and Cultivation), published in Qingdai gongting
silk, lanterns were suspended from high
shenghuo [Life in the Forbidden City], hong
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY ceilings and further embellished with tassels Kong, 1985, pp 64-65, and 130. see also a
to resemble architectural structures. Largely closely related pair in the minneapolis Institute
each of square section with chamfered corners
tapering to a recessed waist, surmounted by a due to Western influence, Qing dynasty rulers of arts, illustrated in robert D. Jacobsen with
conforming galleried rim, each side intricately of the 18th century, particularly the Kangxi and nicholas Grindley, Classical Chinese Furniture
carved of pierced archaistic scrollwork, tongue Qianlong emperors, encouraged innovations to in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, minneapolis,
and grooved to a molded frame, with ruyi heads the form. Lanterns were made in new materials 1999, pl. 60. a pair of slightly larger lanterns
enclosed at each corner, and with flanges of such as porcelain, gilt-metal and hardwood, of this type was sold twice at Christie’s hong
archaistic chilong amid angular scrolls, all which not only boasted rich, reflective surfaces Kong, 23rd march 1993, lot 614 and 27th
between bands of further openwork panels but could be either suspended or placed on october 2003, lot 809. another similar pair
enclosing bats and further ruyi, the reticulated a tabletop. at the same time, the quality of from the robert h. ellsworth Collection sold at
top with elegantly archaistic dragon scrollwork, glass, largely imported from europe, improved Christie’s new York, 17th march 2015, lot 52.
the frame enclosing four frosted glass panels, significantly, making lanterns more effective $ 80,000-120,000
wood base (4) than ever, brightening rooms in Imperial
height 24 in., 61 cm palaces and homes of the aristocratic elite
through the night. 清十八世紀 紫檀雕祥蝠紋宮燈
PROVENANCE related lanterns are illustrated in situ, such 一對
Christie’s hong Kong, 24th-25th october 1993, as a pair in the Imperial wedding chamber in
lot 592. the Kunning Gong (palace of earthly repose), 來源
illustrated in Wan-go Weng and Yang Boda, 香港佳士得1993年10月24至25日，編號592

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