Olivia Xu
Associate Specialist
Lot 63*
A VERY RARE CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE FLOWER BASKET 17th century
16 May 2024, 10:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £25,600 inc. premium
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Chen Xie
Specialist
Edward Luper
Specialist, Chinese Works of Art
A VERY RARE CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE FLOWER BASKET
17th century
The baluster square body with a constricted waist, rising from a spreading foot to a waisted neck, surmounted by a wide galleried rim forming a basket, set with a pair of archaistic gilt-bronze kui dragon loop handles, the body brightly decorated with flowering branches issuing from jagged rocks between horizontal bands of floral scrolls and lingzhi sprays, the basket, the bulbous section of the body and the stepped foot decorated with gilt-bronze archaistic phoenix, kui dragons and mythical beasts in openwork, the rim bordered with a keyfret band, the openwork liner possibly European and later. 34cm (13 3/8in) high. (3).
The baluster square body with a constricted waist, rising from a spreading foot to a waisted neck, surmounted by a wide galleried rim forming a basket, set with a pair of archaistic gilt-bronze kui dragon loop handles, the body brightly decorated with flowering branches issuing from jagged rocks between horizontal bands of floral scrolls and lingzhi sprays, the basket, the bulbous section of the body and the stepped foot decorated with gilt-bronze archaistic phoenix, kui dragons and mythical beasts in openwork, the rim bordered with a keyfret band, the openwork liner possibly European and later. 34cm (13 3/8in) high. (3).
Footnotes
十七世紀 銅胎掐絲琺瑯花石圖花籃
Provenance: a French private collection, acquired in the first part of the 20th century.
來源：法國私人收藏，獲得於二十世紀前半期
The present lot is extremely rare. Cloisonné enamel baskets represent a remarkable fusion of artistic techniques and cultural influences. These baskets are characterized by intricate sections of openwork, together with enamelled surfaces creating intricate designs and patterns.
The subject of a basket of flowers was a popular design during the 18th century and can be seen in many of the decorative arts of China; it may be related to the Daoist Immortal Lan Caihe whose attribute is a basket of flowers. The flower basket, serves as a poignant symbol of the Immortal's spiritual journey and connection to the natural world. As an enigmatic figure embodying transcendence and enlightenment, Lan Caihe's ragged attire and playful demeanour are complemented by the graceful presence of the flower basket. This iconic attribute represents more than mere adornment; it encapsulates profound themes of purity, renewal, and the ephemeral beauty of life. The flower basket, brimming with blossoms of vibrant hues, embodies the essence of vitality and the eternal cycle of growth and decay.
See a related hanging cloisonné enamel flower basket but with broader flat top, second half 17th century, but with similar decoration, illustrated by H.Brinker and A.Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, London, 1989, no.161.
Compare with a very similar cloisonné enamel and gilt-bronze basket, 17th century, which was sold at Sotheby's London, 13 May 2015, lot 308.
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