Page 48 - Christies Fine Chinese Works of Art March 2016 New York

THE COLLECTION OF ROBERT HATFIELD ELLSWORTH

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A VERY RARE LACQUERED SOFTWOOD
HORSESHOE-BACK ARMCHAIR, QUANYI
CHINA, QING DYNASTY, SECOND HALF 17TH
CENTURY

The chair has a sweeping crest rail supported
by the S-shaped splat above a gilt-lacquered
reticulated apron, the legs fanked by shaped
spandrels on either side of the elaborately
carved standing struts, above the soft mat
seat set within the rectangular frame, above
shaped, beaded aprons and spandrels, the
whole embellished in the Japanese manner in
gold lacquer with foral scrolls and landscapes
in hiramakie and takamakie.

41 in. (104.1 cm.) high, 25 in. (63.5 cm.)
wide, 19 in. (48.3 cm.) deep

$12,000-18,000

The present chair belongs to a very small group
of furniture constructed in China and decorated
in Japan. Other chairs belonging to this group
include a pair from the collection of William
Cornelius Van Horne, bequeathed to the Montreal
Museum of Fine Arts; and a pair in the Los
Angeles County Art Museum gifted by Lynda and
Stewart Resnick (M.2013.53.1-.2) and published
and exhibited by Nicholas Grindley, ‘November
1999’, cat. No. 10.

The collaboration between Chinese and Japanese
craftsmen is somewhat surprising given the
oficial trade ban put in force by the Kangxi
government between 1662 and 1683. However,
there is evidence of this cooperation between
the two nations during this turbulent period as
evidenced by the Chinese mother-of-pearl-inlaid
lacquer stand bearing a Kangxi-period cyclical
date corresponding to 1673, with a decorative
theme relating to a Japanese legend, strongly
suggesting that it was intended for a Japanese
patron, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2011,
lot 3577.
清初 黑漆描金圈椅

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