.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
This magnificent vase exemplifies the artistic and technical quality of bronze vessels cast for the imperial court. It would have been made as part of a five-piece temple or altar garniture comprising a censer, a pair of vases and a pair of pricket candlesticks, all of equally impressive size and weight.
Sacrificial ceremonies were among the most important rituals of the Qing court, with the emperor attending, if not performing, all of the major rites. Buddhism was the primary religion of the Qing dynasty, and there were numerous Buddhist shrines and temples, as well as altars, in the private quarters of the emperor and empresses. All of these necessitated ritual paraphernalia, including altar garnitures of varying size, which were made in various materials including bronze, porcelain and cloisonné enamel.
A complete garniture in bronze, but of far more simple design, is illustrated by Wan Yi et al., in situ in the shrine in the Hall for Worshipping Buddhas, in Daily Life in the Forbidden City, New York, 1988, pl. 467. Three different bronze altar garnitures can be seen in a photograph of the Qin An Temple illustrated by Yu Zhuoyun, in Palaces of the Forbidden City, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 198-99, pl. 222. Another imperial bronze five-piece garniture of similar size, but heavily cast with dragons, and with Qianlong reign marks, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 11 April 2008, lot 2826. A pair of imperial bronze vases of very similar design, but of larger size (76.5 cm. high) was sold at Christie's London, 15 May 2012, lot 188.
Sacrificial ceremonies were among the most important rituals of the Qing court, with the emperor attending, if not performing, all of the major rites. Buddhism was the primary religion of the Qing dynasty, and there were numerous Buddhist shrines and temples, as well as altars, in the private quarters of the emperor and empresses. All of these necessitated ritual paraphernalia, including altar garnitures of varying size, which were made in various materials including bronze, porcelain and cloisonné enamel.
A complete garniture in bronze, but of far more simple design, is illustrated by Wan Yi et al., in situ in the shrine in the Hall for Worshipping Buddhas, in Daily Life in the Forbidden City, New York, 1988, pl. 467. Three different bronze altar garnitures can be seen in a photograph of the Qin An Temple illustrated by Yu Zhuoyun, in Palaces of the Forbidden City, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 198-99, pl. 222. Another imperial bronze five-piece garniture of similar size, but heavily cast with dragons, and with Qianlong reign marks, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 11 April 2008, lot 2826. A pair of imperial bronze vases of very similar design, but of larger size (76.5 cm. high) was sold at Christie's London, 15 May 2012, lot 188.