Page 82 - November 2016 London Bonhams asian Art
P. 82
PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ROLF,
LORD CUNLIFFE (1899-1963)
HONORARY KEEPER OF THE FAR EASTERN COLLECTIONS
AT THE FITZWILLIAM MUSEUM, CAMBRIDGE
LOTS 161-163
161 162 163
SEVEN METALWORK PIECES AND A A PAINTED POTTERY FIGURE OF A A HENAN RUSSET-SPLASHED BROWN-
BONE CICADA MUSICIAN GLAZED BOWL
Warring States Period/Han Dynasty Tang Dynasty Jin Dynasty
Comprising two bronze belt hooks, daigu, The well-modelled figure wearing a long The bowl with rounded sides rising to an
one cast as a sinuous dragon motif, with gilt belted robe with flaring sleeves and loose inverted rim, the interior covered with a rich
and inlaid with turquoise beads, the other as trousers, vividly depicted with his head and lustrous black glaze enriched with streaked
a clambering chilong with bifurcated tail and body gently leaning towards the left, both legs patches of caramel-brown, the exterior with
a circular knop, 17cm (6 7/8in) and 21.5cm bent, the right arm partially raised and the left a narrow band of glazing ending irregularly to
(8 1/2in) long; a pair of gourd-shaped chariot hand closed as if strumming a pipa, the face expose the pale stoneware body above the
fittings, probably axle caps, decorated with with a serene expression and hair gathered straight-cut foot. 14.3cm (5 5/8in) diam.
swirling and geometric designs, each 7.8cm in a high knot, with traces of gilding and
(3 1/8in) high; three finials respectively shaped polychrome pigments. 26.1cm (10 1/4in) high £2,500 - 4,000
as a hollow porcupine, hare and duck, the CNY22,000 - 34,000 HK$25,000 - 40,000
largest 4.5cm (1 7/8in) high; and a bone £2,000 - 3,000
cicada with bulging, circular eyes and folded CNY17,000 - 26,000 HK$20,000 - 30,000 Provenance
wings, 5.7cm (2 2/8in) wide. (8). Rolf, Lord Cunliffe (1899-1963), Honorary
Provenance Keeper of the Far Eastern Collections at the
£2,000 - 3,000 Rolf, Lord Cunliffe (1899-1963), Honorary Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
CNY17,000 - 26,000 HK$20,000 - 30,000 Keeper of the Far Eastern Collections at the Acquired from Captain E.H. Villiers by Bluett &
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge Sons Ltd., 14 October 1947
Provenance C.W. Moller Collection Acquired from Bluett & Sons Ltd., London, 16
Rolf, Lord Cunliffe (1899-1963), Honorary Sotheby’s London, 13 December 1946, lot 27 October 1947
Keeper of the Far Eastern Collections at the Acquired from Bluett & Sons Ltd., London, 11 The Cunliffe Collection, no.T24, and thence by
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge January 1947 descent
The Cunliffe Collection, no.A65 (a pair of The Cunliffe Collection, no.PH8, and thence
chariot fittings), and thence by descent by descent
Exhibited, Published and Illustrated Exhibited and Published
Bluett & Sons Ltd., London, Early Chinese Art, Oriental Ceramic Society, Two Thousand
27 September - 19 October 1973, no.16 (no. Years of Chinese Ceramic Figures, London, 8
A65) April - 21 June 1947, no.36
Oriental Ceramic Society, Pre-T’ang Wares,
London, 29 April - 10 June 1953, no.102
Music was extremely popular in the Tang
dynasty. Institutions were set up to oversee
the training and performances of music and
dances in the Imperial court such as the
Great Music Bureau and the Drums and
Pipes Bureau. Tang court music was mainly
based on the tuning of the Kuchean lute and
drum and thousands of musicians housed
within the walls of the Imperial Palace were
trained to perform orchestral pieces drawing
from Central Asian influences. For reference,
see L. Picken, Music from the Tang Court,
Cambridge, 1985.
Related examples of Tang musicians are
illustrated by R. Krahl, Collection Julius
Eberhardt, Early Chinese Art, Hong Kong,
1999, pl. 125 and in Galerie Lafayette, Les
Tresors de la Dynasty Tang, Paris, 1993, cat.
no. 6.
80 | BONHAMS
