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Lot Essay
From the early Qianlong period onwards, The Emperor's passion for jade prompted a massive imperial output of art works in the material.
Qianlong was also deeply conscious of his Manchu ancestry and the need to claim credibility in the eyes of the native Han Chinese he ruled. As such he vehemently embraced the ancient arts of China by collecting vast quantities of ancient jades, bronzes, ceramics and other wares, and by incorporating archaistic designs into contemporary works.
It is recorded in Imperial records that in the Spring of the 35th year of Qianlong's reign, the Emperor was inspired by an archaic jade bi to write a poem, which he ordered the jade carvers to inscribe directly onto the piece. The bi was then mounted into a zitan stand, the back of which was further incised with the poem.
See a smaller example of archaistic white jade bi and zitan stand, from Qianlong period, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Jadeware III, Hong Kong, 2006, p.157.
Qianlong was also deeply conscious of his Manchu ancestry and the need to claim credibility in the eyes of the native Han Chinese he ruled. As such he vehemently embraced the ancient arts of China by collecting vast quantities of ancient jades, bronzes, ceramics and other wares, and by incorporating archaistic designs into contemporary works.
It is recorded in Imperial records that in the Spring of the 35th year of Qianlong's reign, the Emperor was inspired by an archaic jade bi to write a poem, which he ordered the jade carvers to inscribe directly onto the piece. The bi was then mounted into a zitan stand, the back of which was further incised with the poem.
See a smaller example of archaistic white jade bi and zitan stand, from Qianlong period, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Jadeware III, Hong Kong, 2006, p.157.