Page 304 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

GRAND SYMBOLS OF A MERITORIOUS EMPEROR

A PAIR OF LUDUAN CENSERS

In their imposing size and superb casting this animating and empowering the sculpture. as in Imperial throne room in the Forbidden City,
striking pair of censers embody the power Chuimei ho and Bennet Bronson note in their all of which appear smaller than the present
and wealth of the newly established Qing discussion of a pair of Qianlong cloisonné example. a pair of luduan standing at the side
empire under the Kangxi reign. the censers enamel examples from the palace museum, of the Imperial throne in the main room of
are expertly cast with ferocious expressions, Beijing, included in the exhibition Splendors the Yangxin dian (hall of mental Cultivation),
bulging eyes and sharp fangs, their powerful of China’s Forbidden City. The Glorious Reign is illustrated in situ in the catalogue to the
muscular and stout bodies are accentuated by of Emperor Qianlong, the Field museum, exhibition Splendors from China’s Imperial
their mane and extravagantly spiraling tufts Chicago, 2004, these burners were traditionally Palace. Secret World of the Forbidden City,
of hair. they each stand confidently atop a valued at the Imperial Court, as with their open Bowers museum of Cultural art, santa ana,
menacing dragon; its head slithering upwards mouths and smoke billowing forth, they were a California, 2000, p. 38, together with a pair
threatening to strike. reminder to the emperor that he should always made of champlevé enamel, pp 34-35; another
be receptive to honest advice (see p. 37). pair in the Kunming gong (palace of earthly
Luduan are mythical and auspicious creatures tranquillity), is illustrated in situ in Qingdai
with strong lion bodies, a single horn and the the origin of incense burners of this form is
paws of a bear. they are believed to have the difficult to determine; an example attributed gongting shenghuo [Life in the palace during
ability to traverse vast distances and to master to the song dynasty was recovered from the the Qing dynasty], hong Kong, 1985, pl. 12; a
further pair in the Zhonghe dian (hall of Central
all languages, as well as foretelling the future, ming dynasty tomb of the scholar-official harmony), is illustrated in A Treasury of Ming
giving life to the good and killing evil. according Zhang shupei (1552-1615) in tonglian,
to legend, they were originally known as sichuan (Wenwu, 1989, no. 7, pp 45-46, & Qing Palace Furniture, Beijing, 2007, vol. 2,
‘jiaoduan’, and their name changed to ‘luduan’ figs 14-16). mythical beast incense burners pl. 780, together with a pair in the Qiangqing
gong (mansion of heavenly purity), pl. 781, and
because the character for ‘lu’ matched their however, became a popular model only from two pairs made of cloisonné enamel, one in the
appearance better. Known as guardians of the Xuande period onwards. a censer in the
enlightened rulers, luduan were said to appear form of a mythological animal was included Yangzhou gong (palace of eternal Longevity),
in areas where a wise and virtuous leader was in the painting ‘enjoying antiquities’ by Du pl. 287, and the other from one of the rooms of
the Yangxin dian, pl. 791.
present. Jin (ca. 1467-1505), where two scholars are
depicted scrutinizing a selection of antiquities While censers of this form are relatively
the auspicious nature of luduan was (illustrated in Through the Prism of the Past: common, the large size of the present pair is
particularly appropriate for the purpose of Antiquarian Trends in Chinese Art of the 16th exceptionally rare; compare a luduan censer of
these censers. Cast with hinged or removable
heads, they were made for burning incense and to 18th Century, national palace museum, slightly smaller size, and cast with less refined
smoke would emerge from the beast’s mouth, taipei, 2003, cat. no. I-44). a drawing of a details, from the collection of J.B. pickering,
similar beast is also published in the Shizu sold at Christie’s London, 8th may 1978, lot
zhai jian pu (ten Bamboo studio Catalogue of 269, and in these rooms, 6th June 1992, lot
Letter paper Designs), a woodblock printed 369; and a censer of similar size but in the form
book of stationery papers from 1645, compiled of a qilin and attributed to the Qianlong reign,
by hu Zhengyan and illustrated in Ip Yee and sold in our London rooms, 7th march 1980, lot
Laurence C.s. tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, 42, possibly the same sold at Christie’s London,
vol. 1, hong Kong, 1978, p. 179, fig. 15. Its 19th march 1979, lot 185. see also a smaller
popularity continued well into the Kangxi reign, censer, one of a pair, embellished with precious
when censers of this form were made in a stones, in the shenyang palace museum,
variety of media, including porcelain, cloisonné Liaoning province, illustrated in Son of Heaven.
enamel and bronze. For a Xuande period Imperial Arts of China, seattle, 2000, pl. 33;
prototype of this form, see two censers sold in and a pair in the musée national du château
our hong Kong rooms, the first from the Water, de Fontainebleau, included in the exhibition
pine and stone retreat collection, 8th april Chinese Impériale. Splendeurs de la dynasties
2014, lot 233, and the second, 8th october Qing 1644-1911, Baur Foundation, Geneva,
2014, lot 3759. 2014, cat. nos 12 and 13.
such censers were part of the ‘throne group’, Compare also a cloisonné enamel luduan
a prescribed set of imperial court assemblages censer of slightly larger size, standing on a
that decorated throne rooms. pairs of luduan rectangular platform but lacking the dragon, in
were commonly placed on each side of the national palace museum, taipei, illustrated
an Imperial throne with the aim to protect in Masterpieces of Chinese Enamel Ware in the
and highlight the ruler’s elevated position. National Palace Museum, taipei, 1971, pl. 28;
the importance of this pair is evident when a smaller pair sold in these rooms, 31st may
compared to examples of luduan still displayed 1994, lot 221; one sold in our paris rooms, 12th
Fig. 1 Wilhelm anton Fritz euler (1911-1994)
圖一 Wilhelm anton Fritz euler (1911-1994) 照片

302 SOTHEBY’S Important ChInese art