Page 145 - Sotheby's Arts of Asia Paris, June 16, 2022

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A MAGNIFICIENT IMPERIAL LACQUER ‘NINE 清雍正至乾隆 約1730年 漆木龍紋束腰馬蹄足條桌
DRAGONS’ CALLIGRAPHY TABLE 來源 :
QING DYNASTY, YONGZHENG - QIANLONG 弗朗切斯·坎博 (1876-1947) 收藏，萊塔納皇宫，巴塞隆納
PERIOD, CA. 1730 本條桌帶九龍紋飾，相信乃屬宮廷御用。漆木桌極爲珍罕，除
the rectangular top supported on four corner legs continuing 本品外僅存兩九龍紋作例，北京故宮博物院珍藏。其一為紅漆
to straight horse hoof feet, the top set above a pierced waist 桌，相比本品較長及較窄，紋飾相近，九龍騰飛雲間，見《
and a shaped apron reticulated with a frieze of archaistic 北京故宮博物院明清家具全集》，卷8，頁108，編號 47（圖
dragons in openwork extending onto the interior of the 1）。另一例為紅漆戧金填漆器，出處同上，卷9，頁442，編
legs, the top dramatically painted in shades of red and gold 號131。另可比較一紫漆例，尺寸、器型及比例相近，山水紋
enamel on a deep purplish-brown lacquer ground with nine 飾，出處同上，卷9，頁539，編號154。五爪九龍紋飾，尊屬
five-clawed dragons writhing amongst clouds vying for a 皇帝、親王及郡王吉服袍，宮廷家具紋飾亦須遵守同一規例。
central pearl 皇帝均精通書法，此類條桌用於擺放筆筒、墨硯、印泥盒等書
90.5 x 192.3 x 87.5 cm, 35⅞ by 75¾ by 34⅝ in. 法用品，桌面空間闊大，便於寫字。此桌尺寸龐大，置於寳座
之前甚為匹配。
PROVENANCE 本品出自巴塞羅那萊埃塔納宮 Francesc Cambo i Battle （1876-
Collection Francesc Cambó i Battle (1876-1947) at the 1947年）珍藏。
Laietana Palace, Barcelona. Francesc Cambo 乃西班牙二十世紀前三分之一期間，「加泰
Table de calligraphie impériale en bois laqué à décor de drag- 羅尼亞復興運動」中最具影響力之人物，自青年時便已積極
ons, dynastie Qing, époque Yongzheng-Qianlong, vers 1730 參與區域運動組織，部份組織由他與同僚共同創立。 1901
年，Cambo成立新政黨，名爲加泰羅尼亞地區聯盟，同年當選
30 000-50 000€ 巴塞羅那市之議員。
Cambo以政治家的身份聞名，藝術收藏甚豐，並熱心捐獻予文
化機構，身後藏品幾乎全數贈予馬德里國家博物館、普拉多博
物館及巴塞羅那各所博物館。

The present calligraphy table with its exclusive decoration of Francesc Cambó was the most influential figure of the
nine dragons was most likely intended for an imperial usage so called “regenerationist catalanism” in the first third of
within the forbidden city. Surviving lacquer calligraphy table the 20th century Spain. Since his youth he was active in
are actually very rare and only two other nine dragon tables regionalist organizations, some of which he had co-founded.
are recorded in the collections of Palace museum, Beijing. In 1901 he founded a new political party, the Lliga
The first is a red-ground lacquer table, somewhat narrower Regionalista de Catalunya, being elected that same year as
and longer, with a related striking design of nine dragons municipal councilor in the city of Barcelona.
amongst clouds, illustrated in The Complete Collection of While mostly known as a politician, Cambó became one of
Ming and Qing Furniture in the Palace Museum, Beijing, vol.8, the most important art private collectors and cultural donors
page 108, n°47 (fig.1). The other, also on red lacquer and in the history of his country. He bequeathed almost all his
decorated in a qianjin and tianqi technique is illustrated artworks to the public in state museums in Madrid, at the
in ibid. vol. 9, p 442, n° 131. Compare also a purple ground Prado Museum and in Barcelona.
lacquer table of related size, form and proportion but with a
landscape decoration, also illustrated in ibid. vol. 9, p. 539,
n° 154. Similarly to the precepts of ornamentation for the
court robe, whereas only the emperor himself, his sons,
and the princes of the first and second ranks were allowed
to wear nine five-clawed dragons robe, the same precept
would prevail for the furniture at the court. Calligraphy table
were intended to accommodate the organisation of all the
writing paraphernalia including brush pots, table cabinets,
ink stone or seal boxes and provide ample space for this
practice in which the emperor excelled and was very fond of.
Considering the proportion of this table, we may assume that
it was intended to be placed in front of a full size throne.
The present table comes from the collection of Francesc
Cambó i Battle (1876-1947) at the Laietana Palace,
Barcelona.

The table ‘in situ’ ca.1937.

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