Page 87 - Bonhams Asian Art London November 5, 2020

82
A FRESCO PANEL WITH FEMALE DEITIES
Ming Dynasty
Pigments on plaster, depicting a group of celestial
ladies, one seated with legs crossed, holding a
ruyi-sceptre in her left hand, the other lady standing
behind holding a white lotus, wood frame.
57.5cm (22 1/2in) wide x 68cm (26 3/4in) high.
£3,000 - 5,000
CNY26,000 - 44,000

明 彩繪天女壁畫

Provenance: an English private collection, and
thence by descent. The collection was formed by
the grandfather of the former owner who was the
Assistant Commissioner, Shanghai Municipal Police,
1919-1928. His father was a Protestant missionary
in China. The family returned to England shortly after
the Second World War.

來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今。本拍品
前任藏家之祖父曾於1919至1928年任上海公共租界
工部局警務處副官，其父為一名新教傳教士；第二
次世界大戰爆發後，舉家回到英格蘭。

The style of the present fresco is inspired by
late Tang dynasty temple painting style. This
is evident in the treatment of the roundness of
the faces and the swirling clouds, conveying an
animated style to the work, which was popular
amongst builders and decorators of Buddhist
temples of the time and continued throughout
the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties. 82

Compare with a related polychrome fresco of
females, Ming dynasty, which was sold at Christie’s
New York, 22 March 2019, lot 1771.
83
A ‘CHICKEN-BONE’ JADE ‘CHILONG’ CUP
Ming Dynasty
The deep rounded cup smoothly carved, a large
chilong with bifurcated tail biting the rim and forming
the curved handle, a smaller chilong carved in low in
relief on the side, the stone of buff-mushroom tone.
10.5cm (4 1/8in) long.
£1,500 - 2,000
CNY13,000 - 18,000
明 雞骨玉雕螭龍柄小盃

Provenance: an English private collection, and
thence by descent. The collection was formed by
the grandfather of the former owner who was the
Assistant Commissioner, Shanghai Municipal Police,
1919-1928. His father was a Protestant missionary
in China. The family returned to England shortly after
the Second World War.

來源：英國私人收藏，並由後人保存迄今。本拍品
前任藏家之祖父曾於1919至1928年任上海公共租界
工部局警務處副官，其父為一名新教傳教士；第二
次世界大戰爆發後，舉家回到英格蘭。

Compare with a related green jade cup with a
chilong handle, Ming dynasty, in the Qing Court
Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of
Collections in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2011, 83
p.179, no.162.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. FINE CHINESE ART | 85