Page 40 - Christie's Fine Chiense Works of Art November 2018 London

THE SOAME JENYNS COLLECTION OF
CHINESE AND JAPANESE ART
21
A RARE ARABIC-INSCRIBED BRONZE CYLINDRICAL TRIPOD Bronze censers with Zhengde reign marks and of the period, cast with
CENSER Arabic inscriptions are very rare. Other known examples are more commonly
ZHENGDE CAST SIX-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1506- decorated with panels enclosing shorter dedicatory inscriptions to Allah
1521) and the prophet Muhammad. The long Qur’anic prayer encircling the
The censer is fnely cast in relief to the exterior with a long Arabic inscription, sides of the current censer is in very fne hand and is highly unusual. The
between two bands of incised lotus scroll, supported on three lotus-form feet. Zhengde emperor is known to have had a keen interest in the Islamic religion
8 in. (20.3 cm.) diam. and to have studied Arabic language. It is therefore unsurprising that the
£20,000-30,000 $27,000-39,000 introduction of Arabic Islamic script on bronze vessels frst occurred around
€23,000-33,000 1500, coinciding with his reign period. This series of Islamic-inspired bronzes
led to the introduction of blue and white ceramic wares with Arabic and
PROVENANCE Persian inscriptions, bearing Zhengde reign marks. It is thought that these
Collection of the late Soame Jenyns (1904-1976), then by descent within the ceramic wares were made for Muslim Eunuchs at the Ming court.
family.
The incised lotus scroll borders and ruyi-form feet seen on the current censer
The inscription seen on the current censer is Qur’anic (Qur’an, Surah 2:255)
are echoed on a cylindrical censer decorated with three lobed cartouches
and is a commonly-used prayer called Ayat al-Kursi from the Throne verse,
of Islamic inscription but with an apocryphal Xuande mark and dated to the
popular for its protective properties. It is often seen on talismanic and
16th century, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 4 April 2012, lot 143.
amuletic objects such as ‘magic’ bowls, arms and armour and talismanic
shirts. From an Islamic point of view, it was believed that the content of
For Zhengde mark and period examples with Arabic cartouches, see a censer
objects decorated with such texts, would have benefted from the barakah of
included in the exhibition catalogue Emperor, Scholar, Artisan, Monk, Sydney
the holy text that was inscribed on the object.
L. Moss Ltd., London, 1984, no. 118; and two censers sold at Christie’s Hong
Kong, 30 May 2005, lot 1395 and 29 May 2007, lot 1657.
The prayer can be translated as follows:
Allah! There is no God but He, 明正德 銅阿拉伯文三足爐 「大明正德年製」六字楷書款
the Living, the Self-subsisting, the Eternal.
來源: 英國學者詹甯斯(1904-1976)舊藏, 家傳至今
No slumber can seize Him, nor sleep.
All things in heaven and earth are His.
Who could intercede in His presence without His permission?
He knows what appears in front of and behind His creatures.
Nor can they encompass any knowledge of Him except what he wills.
His throne extends over the heavens and the earth,
and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them,
for He is the Highest and Most Exalted.
Allah, speaks the truth.

(mark)

Other fees apply in addition to the hammer price – see Section D of our Conditions of Sale at the back of this Catalogue