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Lot Essay
It is very rare to find such important qiangjin and tianqi-decorated 17th century boxes. See an identical box (slightly bigger), dated 17th century, illustrated in K. Herberts, Oriental Lacquer, Art and Technique, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, pp.60-61.
A similar five-lobed box bearing a Wanli cyclical date, corresponding to 1607, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo Meishu Quanji, Beijing 1989, vol.8, p.140, no.137 ; two related dragon boxes dated to the Wanli period are also published, ibid., no.138 of rectangular shape and no.139, oval-shaped.
See also a very similar 'nine dragon' box, Wanli mark and of the period, from the Manno Museum, sold in our Hong Kong Rooms, 28 October 2002, lot 570
This multi-lobed form continued its appearance into the mid-Qing period, cf. a box from the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo QiQi Quanji, 1993, vol.6, Qing, no.138.
A similar five-lobed box bearing a Wanli cyclical date, corresponding to 1607, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo Meishu Quanji, Beijing 1989, vol.8, p.140, no.137 ; two related dragon boxes dated to the Wanli period are also published, ibid., no.138 of rectangular shape and no.139, oval-shaped.
See also a very similar 'nine dragon' box, Wanli mark and of the period, from the Manno Museum, sold in our Hong Kong Rooms, 28 October 2002, lot 570
This multi-lobed form continued its appearance into the mid-Qing period, cf. a box from the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo QiQi Quanji, 1993, vol.6, Qing, no.138.