Page 118 - important chinese art mar 22 2018

565

PROPERTY OF A LADY
A POLYCHROME STUCCO FRESCO
FRAGMENT
MING DYNASTY
painted with two celestial deities standing in a " eld of swirling
clouds, the misty wisps wrapping around the women and
blowing their generous robes, sleeves, and sashes in folds and
! ourishes around their bodies, the taller maiden dressed in a
red robe with brocade trim and an embroidered ! oral shawl,
elaborate hoop earrings dangling from the ears and ! oral
hair ornaments pinned to the high chignon, the other maiden
similar adorned in a green robe
39⅝ by 26¾ in., 110.6 by 67.9 cm
PROVENANCE
Collection of Ms. Gray Warswick, acquired in China prior to
1929.
Gifted to an American private collector in the 1930s, and
thence by descent.
Compare a large Yuan / Ming dynasty polychrome fresco
from the collection of Robert H. Ellsworth, New York, sold at
Christie’s New York, 20th March 2015, lot 772, and another
smaller wall fresco sold at Christie’s New York, 17th September
2008, lot 378.
$ 25,000-30,000
׼ ϲإ੹ᖭ˂ɾྡኣ೥ಞ௅
Ը๕
565 Gray Warswick ϗᔛd1929ϋʘۃ੻׵ʕ਷
1930ϋ˾ᗍʚߕ਷ӷɛᔛ࢕dϤܝ࢕ૄෂו

566

A POLYCHROME STUCCO FRESCO
FRAGMENT
YUAN / MING DYNASTY
painted with a bodhisattva, shown in three-quarter view with
the torso lunging to the proper left and the head turned in the
opposite direction, the arms extended holding a hexagonal
shrine in the form of a pavilion housing a bronze censer " lled
with numinous jewels, the bodhisattva dressed in a robe and
numerous sashes, hoop earrings dangling lotus blossoms,
and an elaborate diadem centered by a seated bodhisattva
surrounded by ! oriform adornments, beaded strands, long
tassels, and other embellishments, the ground " lled with a
! urry of sashes and ! ame-like wisps in red and green pigment,
framed
Frame 45 by 33⅛ in., 114.3 by 84.1 cm
For an example with a similar face, posture, sashes, and richly
textured background, see a fresco sold three times in these
rooms, 18th-19th October 1945, lot 437 (part), 22nd March
2001, lot 19, and 15th September 2010, lot 293. For an earlier
example of this type, see a Song / Jin dynasty stucco panel
sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3rd-4th December 2015, lot 287.

$ 10,000-15,000
ʩ ׼ ϲإ੹ᖭമᔜྡኣ೥ಞ௅

566

116 SOTHEBY’S