Page 166 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art November 2018

276 TP
A RARE COROMANDEL LACQUER TEN-LEAF
‘PALACE’ SCREEN
Cyclically dated to Dingmao year, corresponding to AD1687
and of the period
Exquisitely decorated on one side with a detailed palace
scene showing a delegation approaching from the right-
hand side, a flag with the character shuai flies above next to
the gate, in the centre of the enclosed palace is a dignitary,
entertained by dancers, the rear of the palace with courtly
ladies and ponds, the border decorated with chi-dragons, the
reverse with a long dedicatory inscription by the scholar Gong
Zhang in fine xingshu calligraphy in gold, further to the left are
the names of the donors.
208.1cm (81 7/8in) high x 502cm (197 1/2in) wide. (10).

£40,000 - 60,000
CNY360,000 - 540,000

清康熙 丁卯年（1687年）
黑漆彩繪郭子儀祝壽圖十開屏風

Provenance: Marquis de Trazegnies
Gisele Croes Arts D’Extreme Orient, Brussels
A Belgian private collection, acquired from the above on
21 June 1990

來源：
Marquis de Trazegnies舊藏
布魯塞爾古董商Gisele Croes Arts D’Extreme Orient
比利時私人收藏，於1990年6月21日購自上者

The present lot was initially commissioned for the Chinese The lengthy encomium on the reverse was written by the
domestic market and not for export, as is clearly demonstrated official and educator Gong Zhang. Originally from Guishan
by the lengthy inscription. County (now Huizhou), at age 24 he was of the highest-grade
exam candidates. In 1673, Gong achieved the highest degree
Such screens were highly expensive and laborious to produce, of jinshi and became in charge of the Hanlin examiners. He
and were intended for use by high-ranking officials, scholars later hosted the exams in the Jiangnan region and passed
and gentry who commissioned them to commemorate many famous scholars.
important events. The present lot appears to have been
commissioned by a group of officials who are named on the far Several coromandel lacquer screens with similar scenes of
left-hand side, for the birthday of General Meng Wengjin 夢翁 palaces and processions, Kangxi, are illustrated by W.De
金. The long dedicatory essay was written by Gong Zhang 龔 Kesel and G.Dhont in Coromandel: Lacquer Screens, Gent,
章 (1637–1695). 2002, pp.40-44. See also further examples illustrated by
M.Beurdeley, Le Mobilier Chinois: Le Guide du Connaiseur,
The palatial scene on the screen depicts a reception or Fribourg, pp.135-142.
banquet given by General Guo Ziyi 郭子儀 (697-781), a
celebrated figure who was credited with saving the Tang Compare also with a related twelve-leaf screen with palatial
dynasty by putting down the An Shi rebellion. He was later scenes, Kangxi, dated to 1681, which was sold at Sotheby’s
made a prince and eventually deified in popular culture as London, 8 March 2016, lot 111.
a God of Wealth and Happiness. The subject would have
made this screen a highly appropriate birthday gift for a military
general such as Meng Wengjin.

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