A VERY RARE LARGE CINNABAR LACQUER 'HUNDRED' BOYS FLORAL-SHAPED BOX AND COVER

細節

A VERY RARE LARGE CINNABAR LACQUER 'HUNDRED' BOYS FLORAL-SHAPED BOX AND COVER
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

The box is of octagonal foral-lobed form, the upper surface of the cover exquisitely carved to depict a landscape with distant mountains, variously interspersed with wutong, pine and willow trees, the near distance detailed with young boys, all diversely occupied either in discussion at a table or amusingly at play to include roaming on a terrace, lowering a fishing net into the river, flying a kite and on a swing, all within a conforming key-fret border, the rounded sides with displays of fruit, flowers and antiques within cartouches, reserved on a dense lotus meander ground, repeated on the side of the box, raised on a short floral-lobed foot carved with a key-fret band, the interiors and base with black lacquer
18 7/8 in. (48 cm.) wide

來源

The Estate of the Benson Family, Ascot Hall, Craven Arms, Shropshire, England

拍品專文

The theme of 'boys at play', popularised by the Southern Song dynasty Court official, Su Hanchen (active early 12th century), prevailed into the Ming period when the decorative design transferred onto ceramics and lacquerware. By the mid-Ming dynasty, the number of boys multiplied to form the 'hundred boys' theme, thus providing an auspicious image of fraternity. Lacquer objects with this amusing subject remained popular into the Qing dynasty, and the imagery found favour amongst boxes and hanging panels produced for the court. It is rare to find lobed boxes of such large size. Its landscape style and size are comparable to a large circular box and cover carved with a Daoist theme on the cover, sold in these Rooms, 30 May 2005, lot 1275.