Page 83 - Sotheby's Part II Collection of Sir Joeseph Hotung Collection CHINESE ART , Oct. 9, 2022
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҂ ල A RARE BLACK LACQUER 'CHRYSANTHEMUM' DISH,
ဒ SONG DYNASTY
ീ with sides delicately fashioned with narrow fluted lobes resembling the petals of a chrysanthemum bloom,
ᖙ all supported on a countersunk base, lustrously lacquered overall in black, wood stand and Japanese wood box
17.5 cm
ᆵ
PROVENANCE Ը๕j
Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th April 2001, lot 622. ࠰ಥԳɻ2001ϋ4˜30˚dᇜ622
HK$ 200,000-300,000
US$ 25,500-38,300
The Song dynasty brought unprecedented changes in the ҂˾ဒЪdʫᏡᎴඩϾၚॱҁߕdତ⬜ࣛ٤ཡ͑ٙՊߕ
distribution of wealth and resources, birthing a renewed discovery of ชfϤᗳኜي˾ڌʘอόᄲߕdႡ҂˾˵ͭʘࣛdΪᛆబʱৣ
the beauty of nature. Celebrating ideals of classical beauty, this fresh ʘҷᜊd˸ʿ࿁І್ʘߕٙࠠอଣ༆Ͼ͛f
aesthetic called for an understated elegance and sense of perfection,
marking the rise of lacquerware. 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 һεɛঐԮ͜ཀ̘සࠢಃ൮ʘतᛆၾശf್ͣვЪމ҂˾
an identity that deviated from that of the Tang. To achieve ࿆dԶʔᏐӋdږኜɦࠢ͜ҒdΪϤிఱဒᖵ೯࢝dʔස
this, the Song scholar-elite promoted commercial liberalism which တԑ˚੬ʘცdԨୌΥɪᄴٟึ࿁ߕٙరʿ˖ඩۜբf
granted much more freedom to the activities of merchants, brokers,
and landowners. This newly-formed wealthy upper-class began ҂ɛڦീʘ૱࠰dνёɿᑹձ৷֠d݊˸ɻɛ˖ኊˈλീόʘ
developing exquisite tastes in lacquerware; silver had become the ۜf९ኜνdε˸ਸ਼ᛌҦجᑛ˝˪֡ϓኜҖdԨʝᇭᛌ
Song currency of payment, hence less available, and goldware was Ъ˝ߣdא⟱ᇔ௦̺މѰῤߣfܝ٫̙Ъ༰މልᕏڀόdԨԴϓ
restricted to the court. ኜჀЧᒿˣd͍νϤᆵfϤᆵᖙჀޮጰdලဒعሱdݓΈڥ
ዣdЍҖፓձfˉʂଫɽʘԷd̙ਞϽ2018ϋ10˜2˚ί࠰ಥᘽ
The present lacquer dish evokes the understated blooms of బˢש̈ʘᆵdᇜ3116f
chrysanthemums. According to the Song belief, this flower spread
a delicate fragrance symbolising the subtle virtue of a gentleman.
Hence, this design was a very popular one among both the ruling
class and the scholar gentry. These pieces were made with cores
of wood in the laborious quandie method, or with a lacquer-
stiffened textile core. Such methods allowed craftsmen to create
complex lobed shapes and gave the wares a weightless quality, as
demonstrated by this object. With its delicate fluted pedals, the
sheen of the reddish-brown lacquer creates a harmonious sense
of rhythm. See a similar larger example sold in these rooms, 2nd
October 2018, lot 3116.
164 I FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUING ༉းྡʫ࢙ሗᓭᚎ SOTHEBYS.COM/HK1292 THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF THE LATE SIR JOSEPH HOTUNG I 165