Page 63 - Sotheby's Speelman Collection Oct. 3, 2018

Superbly arranged with an array of auspicious motifs to continued from the ancient practice of burning bamboo to
welcome the New Year, this panel reveals the wealth and scare off evil spirits, and are also a pun for ‘year after year’
abundance of the Qing empire under the Qianlong Emperor (suisui) as they break into fragments after explosion. The
through the various objects represented. From the finest branch of peonies is included as they are the first to bloom
quality jade, carnelian, agate and organic materials, through to each year and thus one of the most important flowers for the
rich metalwork and porcelain, it not only shows every material New Year. This branch of peonies, finger citron and lychee
at the Emperor’s disposal but also the availability of the most have been magnificently recreated in hardstone to represent
skilled of artisans to work with them. The craftsmen have the wish for wealth, honour and many sons. The ivory
employed the ‘reverse trompe l’oeil’ technique to full effect; figures of boys at play, in this case with musical instruments,
the various objects are produced with their original materials symbolise the wish for raising many outstanding sons and add
but recreated in two dimensions. The production of complex, a touch of festive playfulness to the scene.
high-relief encrusted panels such as the present would have Very few panels of this type are known, particularly of this
required the collaboration of a number of departments impressive large size; compare a smaller example, inscribed
within the Imperial Workshops. Every detail within this with a poem with a cyclical date corresponding to 1779, sold
composition of old and new objects has been carefully chosen, in these rooms, 29th April 1997, lot 770; another dated 1773,
manufactured and finished to create an aesthetically pleasing sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29th May 2009, lot 1816; and
piece. Such panels were a Qianlong innovation and speak of a third example, sold in Christie’s London, 16th December
the prosperity of his reign.
1981, lot 349 and again in these rooms, 7th October 2015,
Panels that combined ancient with contemporary objects lot 3001. Compare also panels of this type, but lacking the
began to be created during the Kangxi period and flourished carved lacquer cartouches at the top, such as one on display
under the Qianlong Emperor. This fusion of past and present is in the Suianshi (Room of Finding Peace) in the Yangxindian
evident in the archaistic fangding which reveals the scholar’s (Hall of Cultivating Mind) in the Forbidden City, Beijing, where
reverence for the past, and its juxtaposition with the later the emperor is said to have rested during fasting periods,
gilt-bronze incense burner provides a neat representation of illustrated in situ in Qingdai gongting shenghuo [Life in the
the passing of time. The porcelain, cloisonné enamel and jade Forbidden City], Hong Kong, 1985, pl. 175, together with a wall
pieces show that the finest quality materials were selected panel simulating a display cabinet filled with precious objects,
and created for this panel. References to antiquity are also pl. 178; and another sold in our London rooms, 11th June 1996,
made in these materials with the flambé vase looking back to lot 154, and again in these rooms, 23rd October 2005, lot 362.
the celebrated Song wares and through the archaistic style of Compare also inlaid panels, but without an imperial
decoration of the jade chime and cloisonné vase. inscription, such as one mounted in a zitan frame, sold in our
This assemblage of auspicious objects suggests that the London rooms, 11th June 1996, lot 154, and again in these
panel was created in celebration of a New Year’s festival. rooms, 23rd October 2005, lot 362; and another sold at
Firecrackers are believed to ward off evil, a belief that Christie’s Hong Kong, 26th April 1998, lot 572.

GEMS OF CHINESE ART — THE SPEELMAN COLLECTION II 61