Page 18 - Bonhams Ming and Qing Cloisonne Hong Kong December 2, 2021

Fig.7 Fig.8

(The Imperial Supervisory), the ‘Neiguanjian’ (The Directorate of pattern dish in the Museum of East Asian Art in Stockholm,
Palace Servants), and ‘Yuqianzuo’ (The Imperial Workshops). Sweden. Both these pieces have the marks ‘Da Ming Longqing
The relationship between these three departments, as well as nian yuyong jianzao’ (Made under the supervision of the Imperial
the production locations and production process, are unknown, Household of the Longqing Reign of the Great Ming Dynasty).
especially with regards to cloisonné enamel. In the Ming dynasty, Finally, there are two bronze pieces, both in the Palace Museum,
only those cloisonné enamel wares from the Xuande, Jingtai, Beijing, each inscribed on the rim ‘Jiajing sishiyi nian yuyong
Jiajing and Wanli reigns can be dated with any kind of certainty. jianzao’ (Made under the supervision of the Imperial Household
The issue of recurring Jingtai marks on cloisonné enamel wares in the 41 year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing) (fig.9.). Thus,
st
is an academic problem that is yet to be solved. The British the only pieces we have with these Imperial Supervisory marks
Museum in London and the Uldry Collection in Switzerland both are from the Xuande, Jiajing and Longqing reigns. ‘The Imperial
have a massive cloisonné enamel jar and cover with a design Household departments and the Inner Palace Department
of dragon, with Xuande marks and a ‘Yuyong jianzao’ mark oversee decoration and utensils. The Inner Palace Department
(Made under the supervision of the Imperial Household). Apart manufacture all the screens, furnishings, and utensils used by
from these two pieces, few other cloisonné enamel pieces have the Imperial courts when they are to be equipped with hardwood
marks like these that show under which department they were beds, tables, cabinets, rosewood, white sandalwood, red
made. The author has been collecting artifacts with household sandalwood, ebony, jichimu wood, games pieces, combs,
marks such as these in recent years, but so far only eight have lacquer, carved lacquer, trays, fan handles, etc.’ The Imperial
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been found. Apart from the two mentioned above, there are six Household department was managed by eunuchs, and was
others. Two on jade ornaments: one in the Palace Museum, a service agency for the Ming court, just like the House of
Beijing, another in the hands of a Hong Kong collector, both Internal Affairs of the Qing dynasty. Due to the lack of clear
carved with geese, and inscribed with a Xuande six-character production records, however, it is currently unknown what role
mark, as well as a four-character ‘Yuyong jianzao’ mark. There did the Imperiall supervisory department played a role in the
are also two pieces of lacquer; one a red lacquer dragon dish in manufacture of cloisonné enamel.
the Tokyo National Museum, the other a black lacquer dragon-

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