Page 194 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 Hong Kong

387 The Wanli period represents an era of change in the Ming dynasty when
A very fine and large Imperial gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel discussing gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel wares. Pieces produced
‘Buddhist lion’ circular basin during this period not only have their own characteristics, unique
Wanli glaze colours, decorative motifs and wiring styles different from its
The centre of the interior decorated with three Buddhist lions chasing predecessors, but also surpass the pieces previously produced in both
after a ball of yarn issuing ribbons within a ruyi-head border, their form and function. According to Zhang Rong, Director and Senior
muscular bodies engulfed in flames and defined by sharpened claws and Researcher at the Antiquities Department of the Palace Museum, Beijing,
furry mane, each with ferocious mouth wide open revealing sharp teeth, vessel forms of the Yuan and early Ming dynasties were limited to
the inner sides and top rim decorated with further stylised lotus blossom repetitive incense burners. Zhang also specifically quoted that new types
vine scrolls dividing lotus buds, all enamelled in vivid tones of white, of large gilt-bronze and cloisonné-enamelled basins represent one of
yellow, blue, red and green on rich turquoise ground. the innovations during the Wanli period: ‘in the Wanli period, however,
53cm diam. basins with diameters of about 50 centimetres, daily utensils, candle
HK$1,000,000 - 2,000,000 holders, and the auspicious unicorn beast luduan, emerged which are
US$130,000 - 260,000 the earliest examples of this kind.’

明萬曆 銅胎掐絲琺瑯獅戲球紋盆 Gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel basins of the Wanli period that exist
in various important museum collections in the world today, were not all
Provenance 來源： made in exactly the same form but show differences, for example, some
A & J Speelman Oriental Art, London are cast with lobed petal rims, which greatly enhanced the look of the
vessel. The identical matching basin to the current lot is currently in the
Imperial Collection (accession no.GU118611), Palace Museum, Beijing,
illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Enamels
2, Beijing, 2011, p.126, no.94 (fig. 1).

fig. 1 The Palace Museum, Beijing
北京故宮博物院

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