Page 104 - Fine Chinese Works of Art Bonhams Hong Kong May 2018

The present lot would appear to be amongst the finest of its type, The subject matter was also clearly favoured by the Yongzheng
exhibiting exquisite craftsmanship in the all-round naturalistic execution emperor himself, who instructed Court artists to create paintings
of the gnarled raft, beautifully capturing the figure of the Han dynasty depicting him in various guises. See a painting from the Qing Court
Imperial envoy and official, Zhang Qian, and displaying whimsical Collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing, depicting the Yongzheng
creativity in the depiction of the double-gourd hanging off one of the emperor on a raft as an immortal, illustrated in Harmony and Integrity:
branches. The Yongzheng Emperor and His Times, Taipei, 2009, p.147, pl.I-76.

The superb quality of the lustrous white jade stone, exquisite carving Compare a related white jade carving of a lady on a raft, Qianlong
and noteworthy size, as well as the subject matter, more often seen in (15cm long), from the Yuanmingyuan, in the Musée National du
rhinoceros horn pouring vessels but rarely in jade, are all a testament Château de Fontainbleau, illustrated by Tsao Huei-chung, Jade: From
to the craftsmanship achieved in the jade ateliers at the height of the Emperors to Art Deco, Paris, 2017, no.190.
celebrated Qianlong reign. Typical to Imperial works of art, in addition
to the incised Qianlong reign mark at the back of the raft, the present See a related pale green-white jade raft group, 18th century, which
carving used to have a superbly carved stained ivory stand, incised was sold at Christie’s New York, 15 September 2011, lot 1035.
with the character bing, associated with an Imperial numbering
system.

The subject matter of Zhang Qian on a raft, may have been inspired by
the well-known silver example, formerly in the collection of Lady David,
inscribed with a poem and artist’s seal Bishan denoting Zhu Bishan,
a silversmith active during the 14th century, illustrated in Chinese Art
Under the Mongols: The Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), Cleveland, 1968,
no.37. This example may have also inspired the group of rhinoceros
horn raft pouring vessels, in the Imperial collections: see one from the
National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the exhibition Jiangxin
yu xiangong. Ming Qing diaoke zhan (Uncanny Ingenuity and Celestial
Feats: The Carvings of Ming and Qing Dynasties), Taipei, 2011,
no.30; and three further rhinoceros horn examples, from the Qing
Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures
of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn
Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, nos.118-120.

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