Page 23 - Sotheby's Arcadian beauty Song Pottery Oct. 3, 2018

Plain lacquer wares of the Song dynasty are a black lacquer base illustrated in Lee Yu-kuan,
amongst the most beautiful and delicate pieces Oriental Lacquer Art, Tokyo, 1972, p. 118, pl. 52,
known in this media. The present dish is striking where it is noted that the two characters on the
for its deep red colour and simple yet elegant base represent the alias of a man who apparently
organic form. It is not only most pleasing to withdrew from society to study and meditate.
the eye but is also surprisingly light and thin A rare black eight-lobed lacquer dish, from a
when held in one’s hand. This dish is the work noble Japanese family collection formed prior
of a highly skilled craftsman who has created a to World War II, is offered in this sale, lot 3108;
masterpiece that represents the refined taste of and a seven-lobed red lacquer dish (or perhaps a
the Song elite literati. stand), from the Dubosc collection, was included
in the Eskenazi exhibition Chinese Lacquer from
A very similar eight-lobed red lacquer dish, from
the Jean-Pierre Dubosc Collection and Others,
the Sedgwick collection, was sold in our London
London, 1992, cat. no. 8.
rooms, 15th October 1968, lot 56. Compare also
a slightly smaller six-lobed dish of this type with

ARCADIAN BEAUTY 21