QING DYNASTY (1644-1912)

细节

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QING DYNASTY (1644-1912)
The mirror has a foliate outline and is cast around the central knob with three figures in a sailing ship, one of whom is Ci Fei the Dragon Slayer, his sword raised in readiness to battle a dragon emerging from the turbulent waves with further sea creatures elsewhere, all below a four-character inscription in seal script reading huangpi changtian that may be translated as "great and resplendent is the heaven".
6 5/8 in (17 cm.) diam.

来源

Collection of the German diplomat Adolf Boye (1869-1934), Vice Head of mission in Shanghai from 1902-1904 and Ambassador to Beijing 1921-1928, then by descent within the family.

拍品专文

This is an unusual design for a Chinese mirror that draws its inspiration from the legend of Ci Fei, the Dragon Slayer, recorded in the Han dynasty work by Liu An, Huai'nan Zi. This mirror copies earlier Song dynasty (960-1279) mirrors such as the one sold at Christie's New York, Luminous Perfection: Fine Chinese Mirrors from the Robert H Ellsworth Collection, 22 March 2012, lot 1470.