Ɏ A RHINOCEROS HORN ‘DRAGON AND SPIDER’ LIBATION CUP, QING DYNASTY, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

拍品描述

Ɏ A RHINOCEROS HORN ‘DRAGON AND SPIDER’ LIBATION CUP, QING DYNASTY, 17TH-18TH CENTURY Expert’s note This libation cup is distinguished by its exceptional colors. It is above all in natural sunlight that its full beauty reveals itself to the viewer. As there was no artificial light in the 17th and 18th centuries, such objects were conceived to be experienced exclusively in daylight. When sunlight moves across the surface over the course of the day and begins to pass gently through the material, the cup unfolds a remarkable spectrum of tonal nuances. On a literati’s table, this shifting interplay of light and substance must have created a quietly elevating experience. We invite you to request our dedicated natural-light video, created specifically to capture this effect. Finely carved in the form of an open camellia blossom, the exterior is enveloped by luxuriant grapevine bearing broad leaves and gnarled branches, some extending over the rim into the interior together with a small cluster of grapes. The handle is exquisitely carved in openwork as a pair of entwined branches, along which a youthful Chilong climbs over the rim and peers into the vessel towards a small spider carved within. Dimensions: Height 8.8 cm, Length 18.5 cm Sometimes symbolic of autumn, grapes and grapevines also represent abundance, both in the sense of material wealth and multiple children. Often presented as gifts at court, cups made of rhinoceros horn were used for drinking wine in part because the horn was thought to enhance the wine’s fragrance. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related rhinoceros horn libation cup with grapes, dated to the 17th century, 7.6 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 08.121.1. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3763 Price: HKD 3,620,000 or approx. EUR 590,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and motifs. Note the smaller size (16.7 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 8 November 2011, lot 34 Price: GBP 181,250 or approx. EUR 323,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and motifs. Note the smaller size (15.9 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 May 2018, lot 53 Price: HKD 1,875,000 or approx. EUR 238,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and motifs. Note the slightly larger size (21 cm). This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.

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