Page 39 - Bonhams Asian Art May2016 UK

82

82 Provenance:
A RARE CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER ‘SCHOLARS’ LOBED Acquired by the great aunt of the current owner, whilst living in the Far
BOX AND COVER East and India during the 1920’s and 30’s.
Qianlong
The penta-lobed lid superbly carved with a central diorama of a scholar The present lot is unusual in the number of fine figural scenes carved
approaching a lakeside villa to visit another scholar holding a palm fan, along the lid and box sides. The continuous landscapes feature
surrounded with a key fret border, the curved rim with five separate twelve scholar-sages; some traversing bridges, some picking sprigs of
scenes of scholars at leisure with their attendants, the box similarly auspicious plants, some admiring trees and natural rock formations,
carved, the interior black lacquered. some huddled in groups and appreciating painting, one writing poetry
25.5cm (10in) wide (2). and one with an attendant carrying a wrapped zither, the last three
of these are an allusion to The Four Arts of the scholar, so revered in
£5,000 - 8,000 Chinese history.
CNY46,000 - 73,000
HK$55,000 - 88,000 Compare with a lobed box and cover, Qianlong, but with a wave
pattern border sold in Christie’s King Street 8 November 2011 lot 262.
Also another box and cover, Qianlong, also with simpler borders, sold
at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2014 lot 3511.

Also see a box of similar form, Qianlong six-character mark and of the
period, illustrated in H. Chen, Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors:
Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, NPM, 2008,
no. 109.

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