19th C. Two-Piece Qing Gilt Serpentine Table Screen with Carved Wood Stand

拍品描述

East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty, ca. 1800–1899 CE. A table screen in two parts: a thin rectangular panel of pale celadon serpentine set upright in a carved hardwood stand. One face of the panel shows a bird-and-flower scene in finely incised gilt line. A long-tailed bird sits on a twisting branch among full peony blossoms, with flowering sprays and pierced garden rocks rising from a low bank. A gilt fillet frames the whole scene. Against the cloudy, translucent stone, the gold reads like a brush drawing on silk. The stand has a key-fret panel in openwork, a lower apron of scrolling vines with a central key-fret motif, leaf-carved supports at the sides, and scrolled shoe feet. Screens like this were placed on a scholar's desk, where they served both as ornament and as a shield for the inkstone. Size including wood base: 11.75" H x 6.75" W x 4.6" D (29.8 cm H x 17.1 cm W x 11.7 cm D); Size of stone: 8" L x 5.75" W x 0.125" D (20.3 cm L x 14.6 cm W x 0.3 cm D). Small table screens (zuoping) were a standard part of the Chinese scholar's studio. Over the Ming and Qing periods they changed from practical wind-breaks for ink and paper into objects of display and connoisseurship. Mounting a thin stone panel in a carved stand put the stone itself on show, while the decoration added layers of meaning. The peony was known as the "king of flowers" and stood for wealth and high rank. Paired with birds and rockwork, it formed a familiar wish for prosperity and lasting good fortune. That made the motif a natural choice for a desk object meant to be seen by visitors. SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700. PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception. Item #205564

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