Page 55 - 2020 September 21 Elegant Embellishment the RenLu Colelction, Bonham NYC
P. 55
361
361
A PAIR OF GOLD PHOENIX HAIRPINS， FENGCHAI
10th-14th century
Each bird with uplifted wings and long tail plumage, standing on a 361 (detail)
flower-head platform issuing from a curving stem splitting into two
prongs through a rolled leaf with indented detail.
5 1/4in (13.3cm) long
US$30,000 - 40,000
十至十四世紀 綉羽鳴春金釵一對
Yang Zhishui states in Zhongguo Gudai Jinyin Shoushi (Bejing:
Gugong, 2014) that some decorative designs on gold jewelry during
the Song and Yuan dynasties could be inspired by known paintings or
embroidery work. Among the examples given in the book is a hairpin
decorated with a long-tailed bird on a flower-head excavated from a
Yuan tomb in Hunan province, comparable to the present example.
These bird images seem to closely echo the motif depicted in an
embroidery work from the Song dynasty now in the Palace Museum
Collection. (vol. 3., p. 912, pl. 9.18 & pl. 919).
361 (detail)
ELEGANT EMBELLISHMENTS | 53
