Page 76 - Bonhams Scholars Art and Instruments Hong Kong December 2, 2021

Image courtesy of the Minneapolis Institute of Art
明尼阿波利斯美術館藏

Gentlemen playing qin during gatherings has a long history in China. 几長方形面，髹朱漆，剔刻三層，表面雕高臺一座，環繞山石、樹木、遠
Seven sages of the bamboo grove, a group of Chinese scholars, 山，臺上雕蕉石梧桐，其下有四位高士，一位撫琴，三人靜聽，左角有童
writers, and musicians of the 3rd century, probably the most well- 子煮茶，高臺地面雕萬字紋錦地為第二層，第三層剔刻回紋錦地。高束
known scholar’s group, often gathered to play qin and compose 腰，束腰四面起方柱，上刻回文，四面有海棠形突出開光，其內雕麒麟，
poems, which became a popular scene in various decorations during 四面皆以如意雲紋為地，束腰下牙板四角雕靈芝紋，四面各雕螭龍一
the time when they were still alive and long afterwards. See the ink 對，螭龍尾部分叉成三葉。四彎腿，滿雕牡丹紋。底座須彌臺式，面雕茶
rubbing off the bricks excavated in Nanjing, Eastern Jin Dynasty(（317- 花及梅花，一角雕飛燕一隻，以菱花紋錦地為底，底座牙板作壸門，四腳
420), which is illustrated by P. Ebrey, A.Walthall and J.Palais in the East 作如意頭。地面罩黑漆，四彎腿與牙板連接處有朱漆書「黃」字，底座地
Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History, Boston, 2006. 面黑漆亦有楷書「黃」字記。

The scene of ‘scholars gathering’ was a popular motif on lacquer 剔紅高束腰彎腿帶須彌底座的香几可參考美國明尼阿波利斯美術館藏
particularly since the 14th century. Compare the scene and carvings 一件十五世紀剔紅香几，其形制與本件頗似，館藏編號80.89。此類高士
with a cinnabar lacquer box in the Palace Museum, Beijing, Yongle 聽琴的題材及畫面鋪排源自永宣時期漆器，可比較北京故宮藏一件明
period, which is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of 永樂剔紅撫琴圖八方盒，其人物、亭台、錦地，與本件香几几面剔刻屬於
the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, 同路，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：元明漆器》，香港，2006年，頁38，
Hong Kong, 2006, p.38, pl.24. Compare the flowers and bird with 編號24。底座剔刻山茶飛鳥可參考北京故宮藏一件明中期剔紅花鳥小
a cinnabar lacquer dish in the Palace Museum, Beijing, Mid Ming 圓盤之圖樣，見《中國漆器全集》，福州，1995年，卷五，頁59，編號58。
Dynasty in the Zhongguo qiqi quanji (Lacquer Treasures from China),
Huzhou, 1995, vol.5, pl59, pl.58.

This type of stand with curved legs at such height was specifically
used as an incense table, to display incense vessels such as incense
burners and vases. Compare with a related cinnabar lacquer incense
stand in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, 15th century, which has similar
height, legs and design of carving, acc. no.80.89.

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