Page 272 - 2019 September 11th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art

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AN EMBELLISHED BRONZE The motif of elephants and boys combines for his home Mote House. Basil inherited his
‘ELEPHANT AND BOYS’ GROUP overlapping auspicious beliefs and phrases. love of design and art from his grandfather
QING DYNASTY, EARLY 18TH The elephant is associated with the mythical Alexander Constantine Ionides (1810-1890)
CENTURY Emperor Shun, one of the twenty-four paragons who was a major patron of British art. The
of filial piety and a boy climbing or riding an couple married in 1930 combining knowledge,
the finely cast and beautifully ornamented elephant symbolizes the good fortune that experience and discerning collector’s eye to
procession comprised of a stately elephant comes from having many sons. The origin of their acquisitions which found a home either in
and three playful young boys all raised on a the diminutive figures and the stately elephant London or Buxted Park, Sussex.
rectangular plinth supported on four ruyi-form of the present sculpture may have emerged Two further pieces in their collection reflect the
feet, the imposing animal richly caparisoned, from depictions of servants washing an Ionides’ admiration for this lavish type of 18th
standing foursquare adorned with elaborate elephant (saoxiang), a subject matter popular century sculptural group; see a pair of ivory
polychrome enamel and gilt-metal trappings, from the Yuan dynasty onward. The Chan and painted enamel figures of kneeling boys
the beaded harness terminating in a flame-form Buddhist reference urges the discarding of illustrated in R. Soame Jenyns, Chinese Art III,
finial surmounting the head, the rectangular outward appearance to reveal inner essence. New York, 1965, col. pl. 96 and front cover;
paneled saddlecloth emblazoned to each side This interpretation comes from the fact that the and a pair of gilt-bronze and champlevé figures
with a writhing gilt dragon on a white ground word for elephant is pronounced xiang – the of boys sold from the estate of Vivien Levy
and emerging from monster-masks joined to same as the word for illusion, thus ‘sweeping’ Henriques (1907-2003) which were inherited
a ruffle-hemmed circular cloth set below the away of obstacles bringing happiness and good from her mother Nellie Ionides and sold at
domed support reticulated with a frieze of two fortune. Christie’s London, 17th June 2003, lot 71.
phoenix in flight, below an ornate pavilion each The present group, of bronze, enamel, gilt-
side inset with a pierced white jade roundel, metal, jade and hardstones, utilizes some of $ 100,000-150,000
three with boys at play and one with a frontal the most sophisticated decorative techniques
dragon, the flaring roof surmounted with a bird of the time. While long accomplished in bronze
finial, the elephant accompanied by three boys, casting and inlay, the manner of the gilt metal
each wearing a bright polychrome enameled application and use of champlevé reflect 清十八世紀初 銅鏨胎琺瑯童子
robe and cap, one figure blowing on a suona, the court’s assimilation and mastery of then 寶象擺件
double-reeded horn, another carrying a dragon recently introduced European methods. While
pennant, and the third playing a bolang gu, this sculpture appears to be unique, there are 來源
pellet drum related figural groups such as the cloisonné Nellie (1883-1962) 及 Basil (1884-1950)
Length 15 in., 38.1 cm
figure of a boy with a hobby horse and a dog Ionides 伉儷收藏，此後家族傳承
from the collection of Mrs. R. H. Palmer and
PROVENANCE 英國私人收藏
illustrated in R. Soame Jenyns and William
Collection of Mrs. Nellie (1883-1962) and Basil Watson, Chinese Art II, New York, 1966, pl. 96. 倫敦佳士得2017年11月7日，編號107
(1884-1950) Ionides, and thence by descent.
Collection of an English Gentleman. In addition to its aesthetic merits, this delightful
Christie’s London, 7th November 2017, lot 107. sculpture also benefits from its provenance.
The Ionides collection, which encompassed
Elephants, symbols of strength and astuteness, many collecting areas, is considered among
have long been associated with the imperial the most important of the 20th century for
court being presented as highly valued tribute Chinese works of art, particularly that of the
gifts as early as the Tang dynasty, when Qing dynasty. Both Basil (1884-1950) and
it is recorded that the Xuanzong Emperor Nellie Samuel (1883-1962) Ionides came by
(r.713-756) was entertained by finely trained their mutual love of art collecting via family
dancing elephants. In subsequent dynasties, tradition. Nellie’s father, Marcus Samuel, 1st
elephants retained their lofty status and were Viscount Bearsted (1853-1927), the founder of
often integral to processions celebrating the the company which became Royal Dutch Shell,
Emperor’s birthday. The origin for the animal’s collected significant paintings and furnishings
lofty stature is likely derived from its early
connection with Buddhism where it symbolizes
the tamed and strong mind of the practitioner.
Furthermore, it is also related to both
Shakyamuni Buddha, the Historical Buddha,
and Samantabhadra; the former is said to have
been born as an elephant in one of his previous
incarnations, while the latter is often shown
riding a white elephant.

270 SOTHEBY’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART