Page 24 - Fine Chinese Works of Art Bonhams Hong Kong May 2018

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A RARE CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER ‘PEONY’ DISH The present dish encapsulates the mature style of late Yuan to early
Second half 14th century Ming dynasty lacquer carving, characterised by deep high-relief carving
With shallow rounded sides resting on a short foot, the interior and the overlapping of elements within the composition to allow for
exquisitely carved in deep relief through the thick red lacquer with a greater sense of depth. A second half 14th century date is further
three large peony blossoms, the large furled petals enclosing the demonstrated in the deeply carved continuous scroll around the
meticulously carved floral-diapered stamens, all amidst dense foliage exterior and the edged linear rim.
of large leaves and further blossoms and buds, the exterior carved with
C-scrolls, the base lacquered black, Japanese box and cover. The main composition of three fully blossoming leafy peonies
18cm (7 1/8in) diam. (3). continued onto the early 15th century, as demonstrated in similarly
decorated Yongle and Xuande carved lacquer wares; see a number
HK$750,000 - 1,000,000 of carved lacquer boxes and covers, Yongle and Xuande marks and
US$96,000 - 130,000 period, illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasures
Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, nos.8-12.
Compare also a similar carved lacquer dish, Yuan dynasty, but carved
十四世紀下半葉 剔紅牡丹花紋圓盤 with a single peony blossom, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated
in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum:
Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Hong Kong, 2006,
no.3. See also a similar carved lacquer dish, Yuan dynasty, signed
Chang Mao, from the Sir Percival David Collection, exhibited in the
Royal Academy of Arts, International Exhibition of Chinese Art, London,
1935-1936, no.1027.

See a related but small carved lacquer dish, Yuan dynasty, decorated
with a single peony blossom, which was sold at Christie’s Hong
Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2083; and see another carved cinnabar
lacquer dish, early Ming dynasty, which was sold at Christie’s Hong
Kong, 30 May 2006, lot 1527.

盤圓形，矮圈足。盤邊凸起弦紋。盤內雕朱漆三朵碩大飽滿牡丹花，
盤外壁雕捲草紋，底髹黑漆。此盤髹漆層次厚，花葉環繞，繁而不
亂，刀法流利，極具立體感，真實而生動，具晚元到明初的時代特
徵。

Image courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing 此類雕飾三朵牡丹花紋的漆器為十五世紀早期使用的裝飾紋飾之一，
北京故宮博物院藏 見台北國立故宮博物院藏明宣德及永樂之例，收錄於《和光剔采：故
宮藏漆》，台北，2008年，圖版8-12。另參考清宮舊藏一件元代剔
紅梔子花圓盤，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：元明漆器》，香
港，2006年，編號3。再參照一元代剔紅盤，為英國大維德基金會舊
藏，曾出展於英國皇家藝術學院《International Exhibition of Chinese
Art》展覽中，倫敦，1935-1936年，編號1027。

類似題材的剔紅盤，見香港佳士得售一元代例子，2012年11月28日，
拍品編號2083；另見香港佳士得售一明初漆盤，2006年5月30日，拍
品編號1527。

20 | BONHAMS