A SUMPTUOUSLY DECORATED IMPERIAL PASTE-INSET GILT-BRONZE BOX AND COVER, QIANLONG PERIOD

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A SUMPTUOUSLY DECORATED IMPERIAL PASTE-INSET GILT-BRONZE BOX AND COVER, QIANLONG PERIOD Expert’s note This dazzling gilt-bronze box is inlaid with multicolored paste-glass stones, a decorative technique inspired by the European automaton clocks that so enchanted the Qianlong Emperor. Western in technique, its overall design and decorative program are emphatically Chinese: the central shou character and encircling bands of ruyi heads are quintessential motifs of the Qing court. Its radiant sprays of blossoms and foliage, however, recall the gem-set floral vocabulary of Mughal court objects, exemplified by a jade pen box in the Victoria & Albert Museum, accession number 02549(IS); Mughal craftsmanship was another source of great fascination to the Qianlong Emperor. Uniting Western technique, Mughal splendor, and Chinese auspicious symbolism, the box embodies the sophisticated cosmopolitanism of the Qianlong court, matched by the refinement and precision of its execution. China, 1736-1795. The finely gilt copper alloy box is of circular form with a flush-fitting domed cover and interior tray, superbly cast and lavishly decorated with polychrome glass inlays set into a finely punched gilt ground. The cover is centered by a large shou (longevity) character, surrounded by flowering branches and scrolling foliage, the lotus and chrysanthemum blossoms and leaves finely embellished with colored glass cabochons. The lid is encircled by a broad frieze of alternating two- and three-headed ruyi motifs, the latter further enriched with finely incised and carved scrolling ornament. The box is similarly encircled by single-headed ruyi motifs and further floral scrolls. Dimensions: Size 8.5 x 12 cm While the imitation of Chinese styles, known as ‘chinoiserie’, was popular at European courts during the 18th century, there was also a vogue for fine works of art in European style at the imperial Chinese court in Beijing. Starting in the Kangxi reign, an increasing number of Jesuit artists were employed at the imperial court. Meanwhile, Guangzhou had become the main trading center with the West, and the first landing place for many Jesuit missionaries. Exposed firsthand to foreign objects and technology, Guangzhou craftsmen began to produce wares that adapted Western technology and designs to suit Chinese tastes. On this box, craftsmen used colored glass-paste stones that cleverly imitated precious stones such as emeralds, rubies, sapphire and diamonds. The technique was borrowed from the West, where it was originally employed on small snuff boxes, pocket watches and clocks imported to China, but was quickly mastered by Guangzhou craftsmen. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related gilt-copper box with similar glass inlay, dated Qing dynasty, but only 7.7 cm diameter, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, object number 中雜000054N000000000. For a range of Guangzhou-made clocks similarly inset with multi-colored paste stones and melding Chinese and European decorative patterns in the Beijing Palace Museum, refer to Timepieces Collected By Qing Emperors in the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1995, pp. 51-80. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May 2014, lot 3011 Price: HKD 6,640,000 or approx. EUR 949,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related workmanship, decoration, and motifs with shou character and glass stones. Note the different form and larger size (32 cm).

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