Page 36 - Christie's London Fine Chinese Ceramics Nov. 2019

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A RARE AND FINELY CARVED LOBED CINNABAR LACQUER The decoration on this dish is a scene known as 'Washing the Elephant'
'WASHING THE ELEPHANT' DISH (saoxiang, literally ‘sweeping the elephant’), and is associated with the
JIAJING SIX-CHARACTER INCISED MARK AND OF THE PERIOD Buddhist idea of Spiritual Purifcation. An initial link between the white
(1522 - 1566) elephant and Buddhism was revealed in connection with the birth of the
The octafoil shaped dish is magnifcently carved through thick layers of Buddha. According to legend, his mother, Queen Maya, was childless for
cinnabar lacquer with an elephant next to a large wooden basin being washed many years after her marriage, but one night she had a very vivid dream in
by a servant standing on the animal with a broom, watched by Bodhidarma which she was transported by four devas (spirits) to Lake Anotatta in the
and two monks beside a servant carrying a water bucket, all on a patterned Himalayas. She was then visited by a white elephant holding a white lotus
ground. The rim is enclosed by a band of eight delicately carved fower heads in its trunk, which walked around her three times before entering her womb
such as peony, chrysanthemums and lotus amongst loosely arranged leaves. through her right side. Tradition has it that the Buddha took the form of a
The exterior is decorated with scrolling tendrils above the black lacquered
base bearing the incised mark. white elephant in order to be reborn for the last time on Earth.
8æ in. (22.2 cm.) wide Illustrations of this scene were popular on late Ming and early Qing dynasty
porcelains and other works of arts. It is, however, very rare to fnd a cinnabar
£20,000-40,000 US$25,000-50,000
lacquer dish depicting this scene.
€23,000-45,000

PROVENANCE:
With Ben Janssens Oriental Art, London, 1999. 明嘉靖 剔紅掃象圖盤 「大明嘉靖年製」楷書刻款
來源:
倫敦Ben Janssens Oriental Art, 1999年
瑞士艾爾伯．梵達倫及莉奧妮．梵達倫伉儷珍藏

(mark)

34 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.