Lot 11
A rare and large red and yellow lacquer 'dragons' box and cover Mid-Qing Dynasty
Amended
28 November 2017, 14:00 HKT
Hong Kong, Six Pacific PlaceSold for HK$3,700,000 inc. premium
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A rare and large red and yellow lacquer 'dragons' box and cover
Mid-Qing Dynasty
The high rectangular cover masterfully carved through two thick layers of lacquer, the upper layer red and the lower layer yellow, vividly decorated with two five-clawed writhing dragons emerging from tumultuously crashing waves releasing splashes of foam, facing each other from a distance ferociously chasing a flaming pearl, surrounded by undulating scrolling clouds, the sides elaborately carved with rectangular panels, each framed within a rope work border encircling two flying bats amidst a dense ground of curling foliage issuing a blooming chrysanthemum at the centre symmetrically flanked by lotus flowers, the box deftly decorated in openwork with a ruyi-head border at the rim, supported on bracket feet.
106cm (41 5/8in) long x 47.5cm (18 5/8in) deep x 18.5cm (7 1/4in) high (2).
The high rectangular cover masterfully carved through two thick layers of lacquer, the upper layer red and the lower layer yellow, vividly decorated with two five-clawed writhing dragons emerging from tumultuously crashing waves releasing splashes of foam, facing each other from a distance ferociously chasing a flaming pearl, surrounded by undulating scrolling clouds, the sides elaborately carved with rectangular panels, each framed within a rope work border encircling two flying bats amidst a dense ground of curling foliage issuing a blooming chrysanthemum at the centre symmetrically flanked by lotus flowers, the box deftly decorated in openwork with a ruyi-head border at the rim, supported on bracket feet.
106cm (41 5/8in) long x 47.5cm (18 5/8in) deep x 18.5cm (7 1/4in) high (2).
Footnotes
清中期 剔紅海水雲龍戲珠紋長方大盒
Provenance:
An American private collection
來源：
美國私人收藏
This lacquer box and cover is remarkable for its impressive size and well-detailed decoration carved in cinnabar red lacquer on a yellow ground. The subject matter, of contrasted dragons emerging from waves and pursuing the flaming pearl of wisdom, follows on that seen in late Ming dynasty lacquer-wares, such as a carved red and yellow lacquer tray, 16th century, illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, no.99. This subject matter continued into the Qing dynasty as can be seen in related variously shaped red lacquer boxes and covers, 18th century, illustrated in ibid., nos.134 and 153; and see also a large red lacquer box and cover, early Qing dynasty, and another with a pair of dragons above waves, mid-Qing dynasty, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2006, nos.2 and 46. For a related design of stylised lotus scrolls as can be seen on the sides of the box, see a carved red lacquer 'cart' box, 18th century, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated ibid., no.164. Related carved red lacquer ruyi terminals stands were often used on Imperial lacquers to elevate vases or boxes; for related examples, 18th/19th century, see ibid., nos.167, 168, and 179.
This type of decoration and highly accomplished execution exemplify the high level of craftsmanship achieved by the lacquer ateliers in the mid-Qing dynasty period, responding to the Imperial Court's exacting demands.
盒長方形，天蓋地式，平蓋面，通體以黃漆為地色，紅漆雕圖紋。蓋面黃漆錦紋之上雕壽山福海、雙龍戲珠及祥雲紋。盒壁以錦紋為地，前後、兩側共雕六組開窗纏枝番蓮紋，開窗以夔龍紋為花邊。盒身邊沿飾如意雲頭一周，盒底座則飾錦地紋。盒內髹黑漆。
海水龍紋圖最早在明代宮廷雕漆上就已經出現，例如台北國立故宮博物院藏一件明十六世紀宣德款剔彩龍紋長方盤，著錄於《和光剔采—故宮藏漆》，台北，2008年，編號99。此紋飾在清代宮廷雕漆中得以延續，如台北國立故宮博物院中所藏清乾隆剔紅雲龍寶盒，以及雲龍紋方匣，見同著錄，編號134及153。北京故宮博物院也藏有此類雕漆大盒，如一件清早期剔紅雲龍紋長方盒，以及一件清中期剔彩雲龍紋長方盒，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：清代漆器》，上海，2006年，編號2及46。另見台北國立故宮博物院藏一件剔紅輦式三層套盒，其側面番蓮紋與本拍品類似，同著錄，編號164。與此盒如意形足類似之例，見台北國立故宮博物院，同著錄，編號167，168及179。
此盒器形碩大，蓋面雙龍於翻騰海水追趕火焰珠，海水洶湧、祥雲四起，一幅氣勢澎湃景象。宮中此類大盒可能是用於放置寫本冊頁之用。
Saleroom notices
Please note the provenance should read: The Mactaggart Art Collection 請留意本拍品來源為：麥克塔格特藝術收藏 The Mactaggarts began collecting and documenting Asian art in the early 1960s. Over the next 40 years, they put together one of the world's finest privately-held collections of East Asian art. In 2005, the Mactaggart Art Collection became the largest single donation the University of Alberta has received from an individual. 「麥克塔格特藝術收藏」由麥克塔格特伉儷於1960年代創立，竭四十載心力，集成一量豐質精之亞洲藝術品收藏，蔚然可觀，稱譽西方社會。二○○五年，他倆更將逾千件藏品慨贈加拿大阿爾伯塔大學博物館，這亦是該館歷來接收最大批的個人捐贈。
