Page 284 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong April 2, 2019 Sotheby's

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AN EMBELLISHED LACQUER PANEL WITH 清十八世紀
ZITAN FRAME 紫檀框嵌寶清供圖扇形掛屏
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
of fan shape, inlaid with jade, ivory and other hardstones
to depict an ensemble of precious objects and scholarly
accoutrements, including books, an arrangment-filled vase, a
dou-shaped vessel and cover, a large dish with the ‘sanduo’,
all against a brownish-red lacquer ground, zitan frame with a
gilt-bronze handle
99 by 70 cm, 39 by 27½ in.
◉ HK$ 250,000-300,000
US$ 31,900-38,300

This panel is a notable example of reverse trompe l’oeil,
whereby the objects depicted are reproduced in miniature
in their original material and placed against a flat surface.
Panels depicting a combination of antique and contemporary
objects began to be made in the Kangxi reign, although they
peaked in popularity during the Qianlong period when they
were made in a variety of materials.
A pair of more elaborate rectangular panels, also inscribed
with an imperial poem and dated to 1775, was sold at
Christie’s London, 16th December 1981, lot 349, and again in
these rooms, 7th October 2015, lot 3001; another of larger
size, dated to 1779, was sold in these rooms, 29th April 1997,
lot 770; and two were sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, the first
dated 1773, 29th May 2009, lot 1816, and the second dated
1753, 25th/26th November 1974, lot 162.