Page 87 - Sotheby's Part II Collection of Sir Joeseph Hotung Collection CHINESE ART , Oct. 9, 2022

This exquisite table is remarkable for its fine carvings of lively stylised
172 I FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUING ༉းྡ፽ʫ࢙ሗᓭᚎ SOTHEBYS.COM/HK1292
Ϥࣲ̬ࠦᐑᎉ᙭Ꮂ७dԒ߰צɿdنථ࿁܋dྡַུࣩЇҼ໐ɨ
dragons among clouds, adorning not only the aprons and spandrels, ʘԉ˫dᐽᗙ˸ඩߧ˫ૢ޴ஹʘd˙ၺʕݬɦ˸՜७խᏐdɨ˙
but also the sides of the rectangular top panel, which is commonly ৣʫᔕ৵፡ԑdˢԷ੻׸dΘːးᜑf୭ᕎۃಃ९ଋߕኪdᔮబ
left plain. The flanges at the mid-section of the legs are also unusual ٙᎉུ࢝ͪ૶ڋ€1677-1911ϋᖵΘٙփܠ̷࿴ၾၚರʈᖵf
and are visually extending the cloud motifs from the top panel to the
horse-hoof feet. The abundance of carved decoration on this table ၾϤࣲ޴ᗳ٫฽ˇd͊ϞΝόԈ፽f᎚ձ෤રථํϞɓˉʂଫɽ
represents a clear departure from the sober aesthetics commonly ʘࣲd˫ૢᎉ޴ᗳᎲ७ʿνจථ᎘ό˦मdࠦਉʿၺۍ९ࠦೌ
associated with furniture from the previous dynasty, and displays the ུd༱׵ˮ˰ᑳd׼ό࢕Ոޜሧ‘dࡐ౱d1986ϋdྡو4ʿ
bold creativity and superior craftsmanship of the early Qing (1644- 83f̤ਞϽ̏ԯ݂ࢗ௹ي৫૶ࢗᔚᔛԷd˫ૢओᎉ՜ণ⸷Ꮂ७d
1911) carpenters. ၺගτᖯᒢ↋d፽׵݂ࢗ௹ي৫ᔛ˖يޜۜΌණg׼૶࢕Ո
€ɪ‘d࠰ಥd2002ϋdྡو95f޴ᗳථᎲ७ɰԈ׵ɓഓᏥ
Side tables of this design are rare and no other closely related ـࣲdਯ׵ॲߒᘽబˢ2003ϋ3˜27˚dᇜ໮114f
example appears to have been published. A larger one with its apron
carved with similar motifs of stylised dragons flanking ruyi-shaped வᗳࣲࣩˉʂމɞࣲ̀ɓ̒dɦ၈ࣲ̒fΪ̙ᓒɽԴ͜d࢙ॶһ
pearls, in the West Hall of Paiyundian, one of the main halls of the ε܄ɛdɦ၈މટࣲf
Summer Palace, Beijing, is illustrated in Wang Shixiang, Classic
Chinese Furniture. Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, London, 1986,
pls 4 and 83. With its spandrels in the form of a dragon’s head, the
Summer Palace table lacks the ornaments on the sides of the top
panel and along the legs. Compare also a table from the Qing
Court collection and still preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing,
carved with chilong and scroll patterns on its apron, but fitted with a
humpback-shaped stretcher on all sides, illustrated in The Complete
Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming
and Qing Dynasties, vol. 1, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 95. Related dragon-
and-cloud designs can also be found on a zitan low table sold in our
New York rooms, 27th March 2003, lot 114.
Tables of this type are sometimes referred to as half tables (banzhuo),
a name derived from their size being half that of square tables, which
are also known as the ‘Eight Immortal Tables’. Occasionally, these
small rectangular tables are also called extension tables (jiezhuo), as
they sometimes served the function of extending square tables to
accommodate more guests.
THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF THE LATE SIR JOSEPH HOTUNG I 173