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҂ ල A BLACK LACQUER MALLOW-SHAPED DISH,
ဒ SONG DYNASTY
ໟ elegantly constructed with shallow everted sides in the shape of seven overlapping mallow petals, divided by S-shaped ridges delicately
ό carved on the interior and underside, covered overall in an attractive black lacquer, the countersunk base with a seal mark, wood stand
ᆵ and Japanese wood box
18.5 cm
PROVENANCE Ը๕j
Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th April 2001, lot 621. ࠰ಥԳɻ2001ϋ4˜30˚dᇜ621
HK$ 200,000-300,000
US$ 25,500-38,300
The newly established Song dynasty and subsequent changes in the ҂˾ဒЪdʫᏡᎴඩϾၚॱҁߕdତ⬜ࣛ٤ཡ͑ٙՊߕ
distribution of wealth and resources, birthed a renewed discovery of ชfϤᗳኜي˾ڌʘอόᄲߕdႡ҂˾˵ͭʘࣛdΪᛆబʱৣ
the beauty of nature. This fresh aesthetic celebrated ideals of classical ʘҷᜊd˸ʿ࿁І್ʘߕٙࠠอଣ༆Ͼ͛f
beauty, creating the Song dynasty lacquerware which evoked an
understated elegance and sense of perfection. މܔͭମࡥಃઋdϾూጳ˸ဏ˾ኊ༸މਿᓾʘ̚ኪ፲ࠬd҂
˾ኪ٫˖ɛࡇኬІ͟൱dഗʚਠุݺਗһε٤ගdே͵ϓᐿ
The Song rule aimed to revive romanticised concepts of antiquity ശேึfԸІɺ̬˙ʘɽඎਠனdҖϓٟึɪɓబ༃චᄴdԴ
based on Confucian Han ideals, while also trying to establish an һεɛঐԮ͜ཀ̘සࠢಃ൮ʘतᛆၾശf್ͣვЪމ҂˾
identity that deviated from that of the Tang. Thus, the Song scholar- ࿆dԶʔᏐӋdږኜɦࠢ͜ҒdΪϤிఱဒᖵ೯࢝dʔස
elite promoted commercial liberalism which granted much more တԑ˚੬ʘცdԨୌΥɪᄴٟึ࿁ߕٙరʿ˖ඩۜբf
freedom to the activities of merchants, brokers, and landowners. The
Capital became a vibrant urban hub, and a wealthy upper-class was ໟڀόဒኜdɤЇɤ̬˰ߏࣛݴБfεᅰ९ဒኜ˸ਸ਼ᛌҦجᑛ
formed. Because silver had become the Song currency of payment, ˝˪֡ϓኜҖdԨʝᇭᛌЪ˝ߣdא⟱ᇔ௦̺މѰῤߣfܝ
hence less available, and goldware was restricted to the court, the ٫̙Ъ༰މልᕏڀόdԨԴϓኜჀЧᒿˣd͍νϤᆵfᎀໟᅄ
development of exquisite materials such as lacquer flourished. ڗྪeᔮସfਞϽ䃌͉ʞࠛᔚᔛՇԷdˉʂଫʃdਯ࠰ಥᘽబ
ˢ2013ϋ10˜8˚dᇜ142ʿ14717.7ʿ14.9ʮʱf
The mallow flower was one of the most popular forms of lacquerware
during the tenth to fourteenth centuries. Many of these pieces were
made with cores of wood in the laborious quandie method, or with
a lacquer-stiffened textile core. These methods allowed craftsmen
to create complex lobed shapes and gave the wares a weightless
quality, as demonstrated by the current dish. The mallow flower here
represents longevity and a fulfilling life. See two similar but slightly
smaller examples, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2013, lots 142
and 147 (17.7 and 14.9 cm), from the collection of Sakamoto Goro.
138 I FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUING ༉းྡʫ࢙ሗᓭᚎ SOTHEBYS.COM/HK1292 THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF THE LATE SIR JOSEPH HOTUNG I 139