Page 68 - Bonhams September 10 2018 New York Chinese Works of Art

96 W
SIX SPOTTED BAMBOO FLOSS-WRAPPED HANGINGS
MOUNTED AS A FOLDING SCREEN
Qing dynasty
Each panel comprising a bamboo blind, woven from narrow strips of The technique of wrapping each bamboo strip with floss to create a
bamboo painstaking wrapped with dyed silk floss to create a picture design allowed the design to be seen from either side. The present
of birds and flowers beneath a poetic verse, the nodes on each strip lot was likely mounted as a screen sometime after it was created and
carefully arranged to form wave-patterns, framed and glazed above a was likely a set of hangings similar to a set of eight, sold at Christie’s,
plain wood board to form the six-panel screen. Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1886, and a set six also sold at
75in (190.5cm) high, each panel Christie’s, Hong Kong, 30 November 2016, lot 3363.

$20,000 - 30,000 Further examples of bamboo blinds made with this technique are
found in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For
清 湘妃竹簾盤絲花鳥圖六扇屏風 example, see a calligraphy couplet, accession number 2004.191 and
a blind decorated with crane and deer, accession number 62.97.19.

Woven bamboo blinds in China originated on the northern banks of
the Yangzi River in Liangping county, near modern day Chongqing,
where bamboo grows in abundance. According to historical records,
bamboo curtains from Liangping were listed as Imperial tribute during
the early years of the Northern Song dynasty and the art form has
continued till present day.

66 | BONHAMS