Page 158 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Fine Chinese Art

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 士紳藏品
Lots 235 - 238

235 Y
A LARGE AND RARE PALE GREEN JADE ‘CHILONG AND FISH’
INK PALETTE
Qianlong
Carved in the form of an elongated lotus leaf with folded edges, issuing
long leafy winding stems bearing a lotus flower, the interior depicting
a pair of swimming carp facing each other, observed by a large
crouching chilong with bifurcated tail clambering at one end of the
lotus leaf, carved wood stand.
31.5cm (12 3/8in) wide (2).

£15,000 - 20,000
CNY130,000 - 170,000

清乾隆 青白玉年年有餘蟠螭荷葉筆掭

Provenance: a European private collection, acquired from Spink &
Son Ltd., London, on 13 December 1955, and thence by descent

來源： 歐洲私人收藏，1955年12月13日購自倫敦古董商Spink & Son
Ltd.；並由後人保存迄今

The present ink palette is rare for its particularly large size and depth
of the exceptional high-relief carving of the dragon and fish. Compare
a related white and pale green jade ink palette, Qianlong (measuring
19.7cm long), illustrated in Marchant, Ninety Jades for 90 Years,
London, 2015, pl.10.

The fine details found on this ink palette reflect the high standards
achieved in jade carving during the reign of the Qianlong emperor.
A variety of writing implements was produced for use by the literati
classes, such as brush rests, pots and ink stones, was inspired by
animal and floral shapes. In the eyes of their viewer, these objects
acted as manifestations of nature’s vital energy and thus recalled the
universal longing of the cultivated elite to escape from the everyday
world to where they could commune with nature and forge their
identity as poets, painters and calligraphers.

235 (invoice) For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
152 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.