CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, ÉPOQUE KANGXI (1662-1722)

The large central scene takes place inside a palace during the presentation of one of the nine awards granted by the Emperor to the most honorable dignitaries. The title of this screen "En Rong Jiu Xi" is written in the upper right part, of the screen. "Jiu Xi" was an honorable title, established since the Han period, to classify a nobleman or a politician at the highest level. "En Rong" means the honor and grace that the Emperor gives to inferiors. At that time, the palace was adorned with numerous standards, banners and oriflammes. The wide border is decorated with "Hundred Antiques" in the upper part and incredible fantastic animals in the lower part. On the reverse, forty medallions alternating landscapes, floral compositions and poems. The high and low borders as well as the guard leaves surround the whole with a rich floral composition.

The screen displays a rich architectural view surrounded by traditional gardens, showing pine trees, weeping willows, maple trees, banana trees and Taihu stones. On the left side, court ladies watching the ducks in a pond with lotus. On the right side, new guests coming through the main entrance door welcomed by two Buddhist lions (Foo dogs). In the middle of the scene, musicians playing the festival atmosphere.

The lower border decorated with dragons, qilin, hou, taotie, qiongqi, taowu, hundun, baize, qunni and other four mythical animals, and the top border showing fan, ding, conch, books, scrolls, kite, ruyi, guqin, qing and phoenix.

The reverse is embellished with 20 poems in different calligraphic style, from local scholars (Shandong province) paying tribute to the minister.