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Lot Essay
Each cover is formed as a circular panel set within a square frame, meticulously carved on the upper surface with a distinct scene depicting eight luohans seated on rocky plinths beneath arched trees and swirling clouds. The sides are carved with panels depicting Shoulao accompanied by two attendants, flanked by inscribed panels. The box is carved on the base foot with floral sprays and key fret.
During the Qianlong period, the Imperial Lacquer Workshops produced a variety of boxes showcasing complex and innovative forms. The present pair takes its form from archaic jade cong, according to the Rites of Zhou, was used to worship the Earth. In the 18th century, this ancient sacred form was reinterpreted into utilitarian objects to surprise and delight the imperial court.
Carved in dynamic high relief through multiple layers of polychrome lacquer in tones of red, ochre, green, and black, these boxes demonstrate remarkable technical mastery. This complex carving technique successfully captures the distinct expressions of each luohan and Shoulao. The side panels feature imperial script composed by the Qianlong Emperor, who was famously inspired by the 10th-century luohan paintings by the monk Guanxiu (832–912) upon viewing them at the Shengyin Temple in Hangzhou. Each inscription functions as an individual eulogy characterising a specific luohan.
Carved lacquer boxes of cong form from the Qianlong period are exceptionally rare, known comparable examples were predominantly created for birthday celebrations and longevity wishes. A pair of polychrome lacquer boxes decorated with birthday scenes on top, Shoulao on the sides, and ninety-six shou characters is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, pp. 90-91, no. 63 (fig. 1). Another pair of related cong-form boxes is carved with a prominent chun (spring) character enclosing Shoulao atop, sold at Christie’s New York, 20 March 2001, lot 82 (fig. 2), and later sold at Beijing Poly, 6 July 2023, lot 5639 (realised RMB 10,120,000). Both were undoubtedly commissioned for imperial birthday festivities.
In contrast, the present boxes stand apart due to their sacred Buddhist iconography. Rather than carrying generic longevity symbolism, the combination of the archaic, ritual cong form, the sixteen luohan motif, and the Emperor’s praises of poems as inscriptions strongly indicates that these boxes were made as imperial repositories for sacred sutras or devotional scriptures. The Qianlong Emperor held depictions of the Sixteen Luohan in supreme veneration, frequently commissioning works inspired by Guanxiu’s compositions across diverse media, most commonly seen in jade. See a polychrome lacquer panel example carved with eight luohans and accompanying imperial inscriptions, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 3 April 2018, lot 3626.
During the Qianlong period, the Imperial Lacquer Workshops produced a variety of boxes showcasing complex and innovative forms. The present pair takes its form from archaic jade cong, according to the Rites of Zhou, was used to worship the Earth. In the 18th century, this ancient sacred form was reinterpreted into utilitarian objects to surprise and delight the imperial court.
Carved in dynamic high relief through multiple layers of polychrome lacquer in tones of red, ochre, green, and black, these boxes demonstrate remarkable technical mastery. This complex carving technique successfully captures the distinct expressions of each luohan and Shoulao. The side panels feature imperial script composed by the Qianlong Emperor, who was famously inspired by the 10th-century luohan paintings by the monk Guanxiu (832–912) upon viewing them at the Shengyin Temple in Hangzhou. Each inscription functions as an individual eulogy characterising a specific luohan.
Carved lacquer boxes of cong form from the Qianlong period are exceptionally rare, known comparable examples were predominantly created for birthday celebrations and longevity wishes. A pair of polychrome lacquer boxes decorated with birthday scenes on top, Shoulao on the sides, and ninety-six shou characters is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, pp. 90-91, no. 63 (fig. 1). Another pair of related cong-form boxes is carved with a prominent chun (spring) character enclosing Shoulao atop, sold at Christie’s New York, 20 March 2001, lot 82 (fig. 2), and later sold at Beijing Poly, 6 July 2023, lot 5639 (realised RMB 10,120,000). Both were undoubtedly commissioned for imperial birthday festivities.
In contrast, the present boxes stand apart due to their sacred Buddhist iconography. Rather than carrying generic longevity symbolism, the combination of the archaic, ritual cong form, the sixteen luohan motif, and the Emperor’s praises of poems as inscriptions strongly indicates that these boxes were made as imperial repositories for sacred sutras or devotional scriptures. The Qianlong Emperor held depictions of the Sixteen Luohan in supreme veneration, frequently commissioning works inspired by Guanxiu’s compositions across diverse media, most commonly seen in jade. See a polychrome lacquer panel example carved with eight luohans and accompanying imperial inscriptions, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 3 April 2018, lot 3626.