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397 In 1966 the Peking Opera companies were placed under military
An exceptional set of ten inlaid plaques and an control and discipline. Mao’s wife Jiang Qing, who was an official
introduction plaque depicting scenes from adviser on cultural works to the People’s Liberation Army, took
‘The Red Lantern’ control. In 1967 she listed five ‘model theatrical works’ to be
1968-1969 performed by the Peking Opera. These were: Raid on the White Tiger
Each panel with a red lacquer base inlaid with mother-of-pearl to Regiment, Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy, Sha-chia-pang, The
form a series heroically depicting the revolutionary martyr Li Yuho and Red Lantern and On the Docks.
his daughter. The Red Lantern tells the story of the poeple’s hero Li Yuho. Set
Each panel 45.8cm x 30.5cm (18in x 12in) (11). during the anti-Japanese war, Li Yuho, a railway switchman, is held
£70,000 - 100,000 and interrogated by the Japanese so he is unable to pass a secret
HK$870,000 - 1,200,000 CNY690,000 - 980,000 code to the resistance forces. Although suffering appalling tortures
and before sacrificing his own life, he is able to pass on the struggle
1968-1969年 紅漆嵌螺鈿「紅燈記」圖板(共十一件) to his daughter. The revolutionary traditions, symbolised by the red
lantern, continue.
Provenance: produced at Yangzhou and exhibited in China until This is the only set of inlaid lacquer plaques known to have been
the end of the Cultural Revolution, and then placed in storage at the made to illustrate any of the ‘model theatrical works’.
No.1 State Lacquer Factory in Yangzhou Each plaque is titled with inlaid calligraphy as follows:
Exhibited at the Olympia Fine Arts and Antiques Fair, New Art from 1. Quote from Mao Zedong’s speech at the Yan’an Forum on
Ancient China - Lacquer from Yangzhou, November 1998 Literature and Art, May 1942, and written in Mao’s own calligraphy:
A British private collection ‘All our literature and art are for the masses of the people, and in the
first place for the workers, peasants and soldiers; they are created for
來源：產於揚州，一直在中國出展直到文化大革命結束，後存在揚州 the workers, peasants and soldiers and are for their use.’
第一漆廠的儲存室 2. Working Class Hero
1998年11月出展於奧林比亞藝術及古董博覽會的《New Art from 3. Nothing is too difficult for the Party
Ancient China - lacquer from Yangzhou》展覽 4. Using rice soup to hide the secret code.
英國私人收藏 5. Grandmother remembers the family history and class bitterness
6. Refusing the bribe from the enemy
Designed by Associate Professor Zhong Zhaochun, based in the 7. His idealism reaches the sky
Jiangsu Institute of Art, Nanjing 8. With hatred in her heart, she is determined to continue the
Made by Senior Master Li Duanhua struggle
9. The sword kills the enemy
This important set of eleven plaques was designed and made over 10. I will not be satisfied until I have killed all the beasts
fifteen months during 1968-1969. At the end of 1969, they were the 11. The victory light shines forever
main feature in a special exhibition called ‘New Creative Work’ held in
Nanjing before being transferred to Beijing. The plaques illustrate ten
scenes from the Peking Opera ‘The Red Lantern’. The introduction
plaque is a facsimile of the calligraphy of Mao Zedong is taken from
his talks on the role of art and literature in the Communist state,
given at the “Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art” in 1940 (延安文艺
座谈会). The sentence summarises Mao’s main point that art should
reflect and serve the concerns of the people, and that it should serve
politics.
398 | Bonhams
