Page 84 - Irving Collection Part II Chinese Art

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L A C Q U E R • J A D E • B R O N Z E • I N K T H E R V I N G C O L L E C T I O N 髹金飾玉 - 歐雲伉儷珍藏

1126 A RARE CARVED BLACK LACQUER CIRCULAR DISH
CHINA, MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)

The interior well carved with two three-clawed dragons separated by the Yunnan style, from the Lee Family Collection, Part II, sold at Christie’s, Hong
long, rippling ends of two bows “tied” either side of the narrow, raised, petal Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2105. On this dish the brocade ball is tied with
border encircling the central diaper medallion, all amidst a dense ground four bows, the trailing ends of the ribbons rippling around and between the
of leafy lotus scroll, the design repeated on the exterior with the addition of four animals racing amidst a dense feld of scrolls, coins and chimes. The
two ribbon-tied endless knots that separate the dragons same carving technique can be seen on the bodies of four lions on a brown
7º in. (18.4 cm.) diam. and red lacquer dish (16.9 cm. diam.) dated early sixteenth century, in the
Linden-Museum, Stuttgart, illustrated by Monika Kopplin, Im Zeichen des
$30,000-50,000
Drachen, Museum für Lackkunst, Munster, 2006, pp. 132-33, pl. 52. On
PROVENANCE this dish the lions are separated and surrounded by the knotted and trailing
The Irving Collection, no. 3820. ends of four ribbons “tied” to the sides of a raised diaper border encircling
a medallion of a kneeling foreigner on a gold ground. A black lacquer
Stylistically, this rare dish may be compared to other dishes of sixteenth rectangular tray, dated ffteenth-sixteenth century, from the collection of
century date. These dishes are characterized by the density of the Jean-Pierre Dubosc, illustrated in Chinese lacquer from the Jean-Pierre
decoration and the style of carving that creates the impression of Dubosc collection and others, Eskenazi, London, December 1992, pl. 17,
movement or energy. One such dish (18.1 cm. diam.), described as a displays two similarly carved lions fanking a ribbon-tied brocade ball in a
typical example of Yunnan work, and at the time dated Yuan dynasty, similarly dense feld of decoration. The catalogue entry notes that “this type
fourteenth century, illustrated by Lee Yu-kuan in Oriental Lacquer Art, of lacquer is generally known as Yunnan ware.”
New York/Tokyo, 1972, p. 163, pl. 97, is carved with two similar dragons
surrounding an endless knot amidst the scrolling stems of lotus and other Lacquer dishes with a central diaper medallion can frst be seen in the Song
water plants in a lotus pond represented by the ground of dense rolling dynasty. A black and red lacquer dish (18.8 cm. diam.), dated to the Song
waves. The manner in which the dragons on the Lee dish are carved, their dynasty, illustrated in The Colors and Forms of Song and Yuan China, Nezu
bodies flled with diagonally set parallel ridges, can be seen on the bodies Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo, 2004, pl. 112, has a diaper medallion within
of the dragons on the present dish. This stylistic technique is also seen a diaper border set between two raised rings. The outer feld of the Nezu
on the bodies of three lions and a dragon encircling a ribbon-tied brocade Institute dish is decorated with peony scroll.
ball in the center of a carved red lacquer dish (17 cm. diam.), described as
明 剔黑龍穿花紋盞托

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