Page 94 - The Parry Collection Bonhams London November 2 2021

This exquisite ‘picnic’ set was produced in the Imperial Lacquer 盒梅花形，下承底座，通體雕朱漆花紋。蓋面雕胡人進寶圖，進貢者分
Workshops of the Zaobanchu (Imperial Palace Workshop), located in the 別手捧畫卷、珊瑚插瓶、錢幣及其他寶物。蓋外壁每瓣之上均治錦地開
Forbidden City. Notable for the exceptional quality of its carving through 光，開光內為各式博古圖。內置雙層梅花式套盒，盒蓋隨形開光填漆彩
the multiple layers of cinnabar lacquer and the ingenious combination 繪蓮紋。下層為攢盒形式，內含五個扇形小盒環繞中央一圓盒，萬字錦
of the polychrome tianqi (filled-in) technique decorating its inner 地，每隻扇形小盒皆在盒蓋繪有一隻蝙蝠，中央圓盒繪一簇壽桃，有五
compartments, the present lot reveals the opulent taste of the Qianlong 福捧壽、福壽綿延之意。盒座表面飾以大朵纏枝團花，座身滿鋪六角錦
Emperor and the zenith of lacquer carving achieved during his reign. Layer 地紋，下承五彎獸足，曲線優雅。整體結構匠心獨運，精巧絕倫。
upon layer of lacquer was patiently applied to build up a thick surface
through which the craftsmen meticulously carved a variety of grounds 本例無疑為清宮造辦處所製御用之物。盒蓋漆層厚重，雕工細膩，配
for the different elements of the elaborate designs, and the tianqi lacquer 以色彩斑斕之填漆內盒，更添光彩，彰顯乾隆皇帝的奢華品味外，更
technique provided an attractive visual contrast to the carved cinnabar 是其在位期間漆藝巔峰之體現。盒蓋所用「剔紅」之法，需在器物的
lacquer exterior, to the delight of the Emperor and the Court. 胎型上塗上數十層至百層生漆，等乾後再雕刻出浮雕的紋樣，是對工
匠耐性及手藝的極大考驗。而內盒上所施用的填漆紋樣，則以其瑰麗
The shape of the present box with its five-lobed sides is often 色彩與盒蓋的朱漆形成迷人的視覺對比。
referred to as meihua xing, or ‘Plum-blossom form’. This shape
appears to have been highly favoured by the Qianlong Emperor. See 乾隆皇帝似乎頗為鍾愛此類梅花式造型，如清宮舊藏一例清中期剔紅
a ‘plum-blossom’-shaped cinnabar lacquer box, mid Qing dynasty, 祝壽圖梅花式盒，主體造型極似本例，收錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍
standing on a similar stand as the present example, in the Qing 品全集：清代漆器》，上海，2006，頁60，編號40。
Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures
of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, 而諸如「進寶」或「職貢」一類圖案亦為乾隆皇帝所好，此類主題的
Shanghai, 2006, p.60, no.40. In addition, the theme of tribute bearers 器物可見於數處重要博物館館藏。如台北故宮所藏一件清乾隆剔紅雙
appears to have been highly favoured by the Qianlong Emperor, as 緣寶盒，其盒蓋上開光內圖案即為一西洋人騎馬前行，身後一徒步扛
can be noted on a number of boxes in leading museum collections. 物者隨行，圖見《乾隆皇帝的文化大業》，台北，2002年，頁56，圖
A cinnabar lacquer lobed box, Qianlong, shaped as conjoined 版I-45。飾有相似場景的另一件清乾隆剔紅瓣式小盒則收錄於陳麗華
circles, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, depicts a foreigner 著，《重華綺芳: 曹氏藏元明清漆器》，北京，2010，編號72。
on horseback accompanied by his servant, is illustrated in Emperor
Chien-lung’s Grand Cultural Enterprise, Taipei, p.56, pl.I-45; see also 與本例盒中套盒結構最為相似的，應屬北京故宮博物院所藏一例清
a small cinnabar lobed box, Qianlong, which depicts a similar scene, 中期剔紅群仙祝壽圖磬式盒，雙層盒內皆有四個隨形小盒；該套盒
and is illustrated by C.Lihua, Many Splendors: Yuan, Ming and Qing 曾於澳門展出，圖見展覽圖錄《邃古來今: 慶祝故宮博物院八十週年
Lacquerware from the Chao Collection, Beijing, 2010, no.72. 清宮倣古文物精品特集》，澳門，2006，頁326，編號116。另見一
例有相類之處的剔紅攢盒，收錄於M.Beurdeley著，《The Chinese
The closest comparison for this sumptuous arrangement of ‘boxes Collector Through the Centuries: From the Han to the 20th Century》，
within a box’ is the pair of musical-stone shaped boxes in the collection 弗里堡，1966年，頁161。
of the Palace Museum, Beijing. Contained within each of the Palace
Museum boxes are four similarly-lacquered smaller containers; both sets 本例內盒之填漆紋飾則可比較北京故宮博物院所藏一例清乾隆方形
of boxes were included in the exhibition, Views of Antiquity in the Qing 漆盒之內盒以及另一雙層盒，圖見《中國漆器全集》，卷六，福
Imperial Palace, Macao, 2006, p.326, no.116. See also another carved 州，1993年，編號95與101。
cinnabar lacquer box, divided into compartments on a separate base,
illustrated by M.Beurdeley, The Chinese Collector Through the Centuries: 一件清乾隆御製剔彩八仙慶壽桃式套盒，內含九件隨形小蓋盒，售於
From the Han to the 20th Century, Fribourg, 1966, p.161. 紐約佳士得，2013年3月23 日，拍品編號1319；以及一件清乾隆剔紅
八瓣式攢盒，內含八小盤，售於香港佳士得，2007年11月27日，拍品
Also compare the tianqi work executed on the interior boxes within 編號1794，可資比對。
a lacquered rectangular box and a two-tiered box, Qianlong, in the
Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo qiqi quanji, vol.6,
Fuzhou, 1993, nos.95 and 101.

Compare with an extremely rare polychrome lacquer peach-
shaped box and covers accommodating nine matching boxes and
covers, Qianlong, which was sold at Christie’s New York, 23 March
2013, lot 1319. See also a carved cinnabar octafoil box and cover
accommodating eight fitted dishes, Qianlong, which was sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2007, 1794.

Images courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing

92 | BONHAMS