A HU WENMING BRONZE ‘BA GUA’ TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, LATE MING TO EARLY QING DYNASTY

拍品描述

A HU WENMING BRONZE ‘BA GUA’ TRIPOD INCENSE BURNER, LATE MING TO EARLY QING DYNASTY China, 16th-17th century. Finely cast, of cylindrical form, supported on three ruyi feet and finished with an incurved flat rim. The exterior is neatly decorated with a central band of Bagua, or Eight Trigrams, framed within borders of Buddhist and Daoist auspicious emblems, all crisply defined and harmoniously arranged on a stippled ground. The base incised with the signature Hu Wenming zhi (‘made by Hu Wenming’). Dimensions: Diameter 9.9 cm Hu Wenming (1573-1620) is one of the most renowned metalworkers in Chinese history and one of the few whose name and style are discussed in Chinese art-historical writing. Originally from Yunjian (present-day Songjiang near Shanghai), he became one of the most accomplished craftsmen of the late Ming dynasty. Most of the works attributed to Hu Wenming are scholarly objects, such as incense burners and brush pots, characterized by densely worked backgrounds covered with naturalistic and other motifs cast in high relief. His work was highly regarded by the educated elite of the wealthy in the Jiangnan region (lower Yangzi delta). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s London, 10 November 2010, lot 21 Price: GBP 6,000 or approx. EUR 11,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the similar form, relief decoration, color of the bronze, and Hu Wenming mark.

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