Page 97 - Chinese Art Bonhams San Francisco December 18, 2017

968 (two views)

967 968
A HUANGHUALI PANELED HARDWOOD LOW TABLE A FINE BAMBOO BRUSH POT WITH FIGURAL DECORATION
Republic period 18th century
The two-paneled rectangular top of richly figured huanghuali set into Of slightly compressed cylindrical section supported by three simply-
an elegant hardwood frame of ice-plate edge and recessed waist over rendered feet, the sides incised in several layers to create an illusion
a pierced bracket and jeweled apron setting of the beaded hoof feet. of depth and to depict four figures and three horses within a grove of
8 x 45 x 22 3/4in (20.2 x 114.3 x 57.8cm) gnarled pine waiting upon three more figures within a thatched cottage
sheltered between a small thicket of bamboo and a diagonal rocky cliff.
$8,000 - 12,000 6 1/8in (15.5cm) high
$6,000 - 9,000

Provenance
purchased in Japan during the 1950s
thereupon to the current owner by descent

The subject matter depicted is possibly the ‘San Gu Mao Lu’ episode
from The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In presumably his third visit
to thatched cottage, Liu Bei here has just barely built up the courage
to ask a visibly unimpressed Zhuge Liang for help waging war for the
Shu Han, while Zhang Fei, Guan Yu and attendants can only wait
nervously outside.

FINE ASIAN WORKS OF ART | 95