A FINELY CARVED 'TWO LADIES' BAMBOO PARFUMIER
THE PROPERTY OF A LADY
A FINELY CARVED 'TWO LADIES' BAMBOO PARFUMIER

QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

Details
A FINELY CARVED 'TWO LADIES' BAMBOO PARFUMIER
QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY
The exterior carved in deep relief and pierced to reserve a terraced garden landscape scene of two ladies, each dressed in a voluminous robe and their hair dressed in high chignons, one reclining on a day-bed holding a fan in hand as if listening to her companion who is seated on a garden stool, balancing an open book in one hand whilst running her fingers along a page with the other, both about to be served tea by their maid fanning a stove in the foreground, all under the shade of tall pine and wutong trees
10 1/8 (25.6 cm.) high, box

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Lot Essay

The two figures depicted are idealised depictation of the two legendary beauties of the Han dynasty. Known as Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, they were the daughters of Qiao Xuan, and were immortalised in the classical novel, Sanguo Yanyi, 'The Romance of the Three Kingdoms' as their respective planned marriages were one of the factors that influenced Cao Cao to begin his first southern campaign which culminated in the spectacular battle of the Red Cliffs.

This subject-matter was a popular theme carved on brushpots; for three examples, cf., the first inscribed with the name of Wu Zhifan, illustrated by Wang Shixiang, Zhuke Jianshang, Taiwan, 1996, no. 14; another in the Victoria and Albert Museum, illustrated by C. Clunas, Chinese Carving, London, 1996, p. 48, fig. 46; and the brushpot from the Mr and Mrs Gerard Hawthorn Collection, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2008, lot 2332.

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