Page 52 - Bonhams FINE CHINESE ART London November 2 2021

Cloisonné enamel wares, though introduced in the 14th century during
the Yuan dynasty, are widely considered to have reached artistic
maturity in the early 15th century during the early Ming dynasty. In
terms of their dynamic designs and powerful palettes, framed and
heightened by the richly gilt wires, the Xuande period represents
the pinnacle of cloisonné enamel craftsmanship as exemplified in
the famous ‘dragon’ jars and covers in the British Museum, London
and the Uldry Collection in Museum Rietberg in Zurich. The present
lot is an exceptionally rare example of this early period, bearing two
incised Imperial Xuande reign marks, demonstrating the bold palette
and decorative features of the period, exquisitely shown in the juicy
translucency of the ripe and bursting fruit.
Image courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing
Apart from being extensively published, the present lot is important as
it is one of only four published similar cloisonné enamel boxes. Each
of these four boxes is similar in form, in size (approximately 12cm
diam.), in the lotus scroll decoration around the sides of the box and
cover, and in the main decorative motif being a type of auspicious fruit:
pomegranates, persimmons, melons and grapes. Importantly, each of
these boxes are doubly marked with an incised Xuande six-character
reign mark, once on the underside of the box and again on the interior
of the cover. The Cunliffe box is the only one remaining in a private
collection with the other three in public museums and institutions, as
follows: from the Qing Court Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing
(‘melons’ box); Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (‘persimmons’ box);
and Fenton House, National Trust, London (‘grapes’ box). The identical
features, combined with the variation of the main decorative design,
suggest that the four boxes were made as a set. For illustration of the
three additional boxes see: Compendium of Collections in the Palace
Museum: Enamels, 1, Beijing, 2011, p.133, no.57; B.Quette, ed.,
Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties,
New York, 2011, no.26; and H.Garner, Chinese Japanese Cloisonné
Enamels, London, 1962, pl.26B.

The discussion of dating of cloisonné enamel wares has progressed
significantly in recent years, allowing a clearer understanding of the
Image courtesy of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris progression of enamel production in China and its dating. The dating
of these group of boxes has been discussed firstly by Sir Harry Garner
who in his publication in 1962 suggested a second half 15th century
date, whereas according to the two more recent publications noted
above, which were published in 2011, these are now accepted as
‘consistent with a Xuande mark and dating’.

The circular cloisonné enamel boxes all share the motif of auspicious
fruits on their covers. The Cunliffe box depicts pomegranates, with their
multitudinous seeds representing fertility and the desire for numerous
children, as the character for children (zi 子) is homophonous with
seeds (zi 籽). Likewise, the Palace Museum box is decorated with
melons (die 瓞), also symbolic of fertility because of their seeds.
Grapes too, as can be seen on the ‘Fenton House’ box, have the same
meaning. Persimmons, as seen on the box in the Musée des Arts
Décoratifs, are pronounced shi (柿), a homophone for ‘things, affairs,
business’ (shi 事). Persimmons thus imply that ‘things go smoothly’
and the pursuit of good fortune and happiness. Thus, all the fruits on
the covers have extremely auspicious meanings.

See a related cloisonné enamel circular box and cover, 15th century,
unmarked, decorated with hibiscus on one side and grapes on the
other, which was sold at Christie’s Paris, 23 June 2020, lot 22.

Image after H.Garner, Chinese and Japanese Cloisonné Enamels,
London and Boston, 1962, pl.23 (Fenton House, London)

50 | BONHAMS