Qing Dynasty Black Lacquer Hundred Treasures Inlaid Hanging Screen Decorated with Main Dragon and Nine Auspicious Mythical Beasts

拍品描述

Dimensions: Width 80.5cm (31.69in), Height 120cm (47.24in), Qing Dynasty (17th – 19th Century A.D.)Condition & Provenance: The hardwood frame is fully intact and stable, free of splits or warping. The black lacquer base features natural fine age crackles all over. Every inlaid mythical beast, cloud, wave and mountain ornament stays firmly attached with no chips, loss or re-gluing. Mineral pigments retain rich saturation without major fading. The carved double chi dragon hanging buckle at the top is completely preserved. The backboard lacquer is smooth and clear with no wood worm damage. This piece originates from a private collector based in Manhattan, New York. It was acquired directly from a historic New York Oriental art gallery back in 1979 and has remained within the same family collection for nearly 50 years with no resale records.Description: This oversized hanging screen is a top-tier Qing Dynasty palace-style decorative furnishing crafted with the highly sophisticated Hundred Treasures Inlay technique, a premium category of Chinese antique decorative art sought after by US collectors. The rectangular frame is built from thick solid hardwood, fully coated with deep navy-black lacquer that developed fine natural hairline crackles over centuries, creating a timeless antique aesthetic. A hollow carved double chi dragon hanger sits at the top, featuring fluid, delicate carving made for wall display. The screen’s base is rich dark blue lacquer, layered with hand-carved inlays crafted from nephrite jade, shoushan stone, agate, colored hardstone and glass paste. These materials are sculpted into three-dimensional figures of nine legendary auspicious creatures: a dominant celestial dragon, heavenly steed, white tiger, phoenix luan bird, qilin, dragon carp, divine turtle, auspicious lion and baize beast. The central dragon dominates the composition with sharply layered carved scales, whiskers and claws, soaring through floating auspicious clouds. A circular vermilion seal carved with the Chinese character “Sheng” (Sage / Sacred) sits at the center, emphasizing the motif of divine fortune and imperial blessing. The upper field is filled with golden-outlined rolling clouds with soft gradient pigment tones. The bottom showcases a full panoramic ocean cliff motif: layered green lacquer waves lined with gold outlines, paired with red and yellow sacred mountains and fire pearl patterns, the classic symbolic decorative layout of Qing imperial artwork. All nine mythical beasts are arranged with perfect balanced spacing, each sculpted with vivid lifelike expressions. The natural warm texture of jade and stone inlays pairs beautifully with long-lasting vibrant mineral paint. The entire artwork delivers incredible depth and dimensionality, showcasing extremely complex and refined carving and inlay craftsmanship, symbolizing eternal imperial stability, prosperity and heavenly good fortune. Hundred Treasures Inlay represents the most luxurious decorative craft of Ming and Qing dynasties, and fully intact large-format screens like this one are incredibly scarce worldwide. This specimen retains its original frame, all inlaid components and top hanger with zero restorations, making it a heavyweight Qing decorative treasure highly coveted by American collectors of Asian antiques, with outstanding recognition and premium market value at US Oriental art auctions.

图片