Ɏ A FINELY INLAID ZITAN ‘GOOSE AND REEDS’ BOX AND COVER, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

拍品描述

Ɏ A FINELY INLAID ZITAN ‘GOOSE AND REEDS’ BOX AND COVER, 17TH-18TH CENTURY Expert’s note The decoration of the present box is conceived as a painting executed in precious materials. A solitary wild goose stands beneath arching reeds, their long, wind-swept leaves forming a graceful canopy above the bird. The composition draws upon the established theme of geese among reeds, familiar from Chinese bird-and-flower painting and closely associated with the quiet atmosphere of autumn. Particularly accomplished is the artisan’s sensitive exploitation of the contrasting properties of the inlays: the translucent greens and warm reddish tones of the leaves animate the restrained, almost monochromatic palette of the finely incised bird, while the deep purplish-brown zitan serves simultaneously as the pictorial ground and as an expanse of open space. The result is a remarkably balanced scholar’s object in which the natural beauty of the wood is not overwhelmed by the richness of the inlaid materials, but instead becomes essential to the composition. China. Of rectangular form, the top of the cover elegantly inlaid with mother-of-pearl, carnelian agate, soapstone, and stained bone to depict a charming scene of a goose standing beneath arching reeds. The bird is rendered with finely articulated feathers, a long neck, and slender legs. Notably, the individually very small inlaid elements are in part further elaborately chased. Dimensions: Size 7 x 11 x 12.3 cm Embellishing objects with precious materials was a complex craft. Artisans first carved grooves into hardwoods such as zitan or huanghuali to form the desired patterns, before inserting finely prepared inlays of various materials. Harder semiprecious stones such as agate and jade had to be wheel-cut and polished, while softer materials such as bone were carefully carved, incised, and dyed. Inlaid objects, particularly the works of the renowned Jiajing-period master Zhou Zhu, were highly sought after during the late Ming dynasty. This fashion persisted into the early to mid Qing dynasty, when artisans built upon the Ming tradition, further refining their techniques and greatly expanding the repertoire of materials and pictorial subjects. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2018, lot 46 Price: HKD 100,000 or approx. EUR 13,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related form, manner of carving, and decoration with similar inlays. Note the size (20 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 October 2025, lot 114 Mid-Estimate: HKD 100,000 or approx. EUR 11,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related manner of carving, inlaid decoration, and motifs. Note the size (7.3 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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