Page 122 - 2019 September 11th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art

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AN IMPORTANT IMPERIAL QUARTZ ‘HORSE’ This seal belonged to Yixin (1833-1898), Prince Gong, the
SEAL sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor (r. 1821-1850) (fig. 1).
QING DYNASTY, SEAL OF PRINCE GONG The inscription on the seal face consists of an honorary
dictum of four characters Pinghan xuanqin, which can
of square form, surmounted by a horse modeled standing be translated to ‘the wise and diligent official of great
foursquare with its head turned to the left, the details importance’, and two characters yuci, which indicates it
finely incised, the seal face carved in zhuwen style, was an imperial bestowment. According to Shuyuan jilue
with a rectangular cartouche enclosing four characters [Imperial records of the Grand Council], this four-character
reading Pinghan xuanqin (wise and diligent official of great dictum was granted to Yixin in 1854 by his elder half-brother,
importance), below two further characters yuci (imperial Emperor Xianfeng (r. 1850-1861), who personally wrote it
bestowment), all flanked by a pair of archaistic dragons, the on a biane (imperial door banner). The present seal was
semi-translucent stone of a even tone with natural icy-white presumably then created to commemorate this honor.
inclusions The impression of this seal is found on a number of
Height 5¼ in., 13.5 cm
important paintings, including a handscroll of Landscape
PROVENANCE and Bamboo, painted by Zhao Yuan (active ca. 1350-75)
and Shen Xun (active ca. 1370–1400) respectively, from
Collection of Aisin Gioro Yixin (1833-1898), Prince Gong. the Edward Elliot Family Collection, now in the Metropolitan
Collection of Aisin Gioro Puwei (1880-1936), Prince Gong. Museum of Art, New York, acc. no. 1981.285.15 (fig. 2),
Yamanaka & Co., New York. where it is illustrated together with several other impressions
American Art Galleries, New York, 27th February 1913, lot 15. of the seals belonged to Yixin, including the ‘Huangliuzi (the
American Private Collection.
sixth son of the emperor)’ and ‘Gongqinwang (Prince Gong)’
seals.
$ 30,000-50,000
清 恭親王晶石雕馬鈕方寶

寶文：
御賜屏翰宣勤

來源
恭親王愛新覺羅奕訢（1833-1898）收藏
恭親王愛新覺羅溥偉（1880-1936）收藏
山中商會，紐約
American Art Galleries，紐約，1913年2月27日，
編號15
美國私人收藏

Seal impression of the present lot
本拍品印文

120 SOTHEBY’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART