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Lot Essay
An important Xuande imperial cloisonné enamel ‘makara dragon’ washer
Yang Yong
Impeccably refined and extremely rare, this magnificent cloisonné enamel circular washer with everted rims, proudly presented in this season, is a true masterpiece in the genre and an epitome of history during the time it was conceived. Finely executed in red, green, yellow, purple, and white enamels, the exceptional motif of two fiercely inward facing mythical beasts in the interior and the delicate floral scrolls on the exterior and the base, consummate a masterful embodiment of beauty and spirit.
Depicted with long snouts rolling upward, double horns, strong forelegs with sharp claws, and split tails, these winged dragons have been named in different ways including kui and makara by scholars in the past. According to our study, animals with such features to their noses, legs and tails should be called makara, the Sanskrit word for the holy creature originated in Tibetan Buddhism. (See Yang Yong, Makara - a clue to classifying Ming dynasty cloisonné enamels, Palace Museum Journal, no. 6, 2019)
Imperial wares decorated with makara are mainly seen in ceramics and cloisonné enamels from the early to mid-Ming period. Early examples include a Xuande period blue-and-white jar in the Beijing Palace Museum (fig. 1) and a Xuande period cloisonné enamel ‘monk's cap’ jar in the Tibet Museum (fig. 2); mid-Ming examples include a Chenghua period blue-and-white stem bowl (fig. 3) and a cloisonné enamel tripod censer (fig. 4), both in the Beijing Palace Museum. The composition of the white lotus flower flanked by the two makaras on the current work resembles the one seen in a Xuande period cloisonné enamel bowl stand in the Beijing Palace Museum (fig. 5). The furious makaras and their intricately designed tails are typical in the Xuande period, drastically varying from the gentle appearance with a simplified tail seen in the mid-Ming dynasty. The scrolling pattern that covers the rest of the washer is comparable with the Xuande-marked examples in the Pierre Uldry collection (See Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, figs. 1-4), as well as the mandorla of a gilt bronze Shakyamuni figure, lot 808, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, autumn 2006. The definite application of enamel palette, without combining red and white, yellow and green which were common in other periods of the Ming dynasty, is a distinctive feature among Xuande cloisonné enamels. Although using only six enamels, the combination of colours is proficient in conveying a sense of vibrancy and dynamism. Based on the above criteria in the aspects of decorations and enamels, it is reasonable to date the current washer to the Xuande period.
Fig .1, blue-and-white ‘makara dragon’ jar, Xuande period, the Beijing Palace Museum
Fig. 2, cloisonné enamel ‘makara dragon’ ‘monk's cap’ jar, Xuande period, the Tibet Museum
Fig. 3, blue-and-white ‘makara dragon’ stem bowl, Chenghua period, the Beijing Palace Museum
Fig. 4, cloisonné enamel ‘makara dragon’ tripod censer, mid-Ming dynasty, the Beijing Palace Museum
Fig. 5, cloisonné enamel ‘lotus’ bowl stand, Xuande period, the Beijing Palace Museum
The washer has a diameter of 27.3 centimeters, however, comes with a remarkable weight of 2.6 kilograms, due to its sumptuous body of bronze. In the early Ming dynasty, as a response to the overexploitation of precious materials, the central government imposed strict regulations on mining activities across regions. According to The Great Ming Code, illegal miners of gold, silver, tin, and mercury would be sentenced to banishment at the frontiers. Therefore, the lavish use of bronze reveals that the current work was very likely made upon an imperial order.
According to Prof. He Xiaorong of Nankai University, most emperors of the Ming dynasty were devoted to Tibetan Buddhism. They not only supported the religious activities in a broad scale, but also granted titles to the key leaders in Qinghai, Tibet, and Sichuan. Such development can be divided into three phases: first from the Hongwu to Xuande periods, second from the Zhengtong to Zhengde periods, and third from the Jiajing to Chongzhen periods. In the first phase, imperial patronage remained conservative in the Hongwu to Yongle periods, until a notable growth in the Xuande period during which a large number of monks were bestowed and sponsored by the court. In the second phase, among the many mediocre rulers who were obsessed with religious practice and extravagant lifestyle, Emperor Zhengde and Emperor Chenghua are the most fanatical followers of Tibetan Buddhism. In the third phase, further to lessons learnt from his overly religious predecessors, Emperor Jiajing established policies to ban Buddhist practice, and promoted Daoism instead. After the Longqing period, although most emperors continued to favour Tibetan Buddhism, government sponsorship gradually declined due to the ongoing economic breakdown and political turmoil.
This washer was made in the Xuande period when Tibetan Buddhism began to flourish. To most scholars and collectors, symbols and decorative motif derived from Tibetan Buddhism would refer to the eight auspicious offerings, vajra, Sanskrit, and Tibetan script. Due to the scarcity of surviving works, makara has not been thoroughly studied. Based on my understanding, less than twenty makara decorated cloisonné enamel pieces from the mid-Ming dynasty are known in public and private collections, of which six are with the Beijing Palace Museum. The aforementioned ‘monk's cap’ jar in the Tibet Museum (fig. 2), is the one example known to be made upon an imperial order from Emperor Xuande. Its ear elegantly decorated with makara while the body depicting the prevailing lotus scrolls in medallions, the jar symbolised the perfect assemblage of Han and Tibetan cultures of the time.
Now, knowing that the current washer is the only other existing example that was made by the imperial workshop in the Xuande period, its importance needs no further explanation. Another unique feature is the elaborate continuation of the floral decorations on the base, which is unprecedented as most Xuande cloisonné enamel wares are known to have undecorated bases. The ample application of the marvelous cloisonné technique on this example, together with the excessive use of the valuable bronze, attest to the glamour and extravagance of imperial treasures during the period. In addition to its artistic refinement, the washer also holds tremendous academic value, serving as pivotal evidence to the study of the development of Tibetan Buddhism in the early Ming court.
Yang Yong
Impeccably refined and extremely rare, this magnificent cloisonné enamel circular washer with everted rims, proudly presented in this season, is a true masterpiece in the genre and an epitome of history during the time it was conceived. Finely executed in red, green, yellow, purple, and white enamels, the exceptional motif of two fiercely inward facing mythical beasts in the interior and the delicate floral scrolls on the exterior and the base, consummate a masterful embodiment of beauty and spirit.
Depicted with long snouts rolling upward, double horns, strong forelegs with sharp claws, and split tails, these winged dragons have been named in different ways including kui and makara by scholars in the past. According to our study, animals with such features to their noses, legs and tails should be called makara, the Sanskrit word for the holy creature originated in Tibetan Buddhism. (See Yang Yong, Makara - a clue to classifying Ming dynasty cloisonné enamels, Palace Museum Journal, no. 6, 2019)
Imperial wares decorated with makara are mainly seen in ceramics and cloisonné enamels from the early to mid-Ming period. Early examples include a Xuande period blue-and-white jar in the Beijing Palace Museum (fig. 1) and a Xuande period cloisonné enamel ‘monk's cap’ jar in the Tibet Museum (fig. 2); mid-Ming examples include a Chenghua period blue-and-white stem bowl (fig. 3) and a cloisonné enamel tripod censer (fig. 4), both in the Beijing Palace Museum. The composition of the white lotus flower flanked by the two makaras on the current work resembles the one seen in a Xuande period cloisonné enamel bowl stand in the Beijing Palace Museum (fig. 5). The furious makaras and their intricately designed tails are typical in the Xuande period, drastically varying from the gentle appearance with a simplified tail seen in the mid-Ming dynasty. The scrolling pattern that covers the rest of the washer is comparable with the Xuande-marked examples in the Pierre Uldry collection (See Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, figs. 1-4), as well as the mandorla of a gilt bronze Shakyamuni figure, lot 808, Sotheby’s Hong Kong, autumn 2006. The definite application of enamel palette, without combining red and white, yellow and green which were common in other periods of the Ming dynasty, is a distinctive feature among Xuande cloisonné enamels. Although using only six enamels, the combination of colours is proficient in conveying a sense of vibrancy and dynamism. Based on the above criteria in the aspects of decorations and enamels, it is reasonable to date the current washer to the Xuande period.
Fig .1, blue-and-white ‘makara dragon’ jar, Xuande period, the Beijing Palace Museum
Fig. 2, cloisonné enamel ‘makara dragon’ ‘monk's cap’ jar, Xuande period, the Tibet Museum
Fig. 3, blue-and-white ‘makara dragon’ stem bowl, Chenghua period, the Beijing Palace Museum
Fig. 4, cloisonné enamel ‘makara dragon’ tripod censer, mid-Ming dynasty, the Beijing Palace Museum
Fig. 5, cloisonné enamel ‘lotus’ bowl stand, Xuande period, the Beijing Palace Museum
The washer has a diameter of 27.3 centimeters, however, comes with a remarkable weight of 2.6 kilograms, due to its sumptuous body of bronze. In the early Ming dynasty, as a response to the overexploitation of precious materials, the central government imposed strict regulations on mining activities across regions. According to The Great Ming Code, illegal miners of gold, silver, tin, and mercury would be sentenced to banishment at the frontiers. Therefore, the lavish use of bronze reveals that the current work was very likely made upon an imperial order.
According to Prof. He Xiaorong of Nankai University, most emperors of the Ming dynasty were devoted to Tibetan Buddhism. They not only supported the religious activities in a broad scale, but also granted titles to the key leaders in Qinghai, Tibet, and Sichuan. Such development can be divided into three phases: first from the Hongwu to Xuande periods, second from the Zhengtong to Zhengde periods, and third from the Jiajing to Chongzhen periods. In the first phase, imperial patronage remained conservative in the Hongwu to Yongle periods, until a notable growth in the Xuande period during which a large number of monks were bestowed and sponsored by the court. In the second phase, among the many mediocre rulers who were obsessed with religious practice and extravagant lifestyle, Emperor Zhengde and Emperor Chenghua are the most fanatical followers of Tibetan Buddhism. In the third phase, further to lessons learnt from his overly religious predecessors, Emperor Jiajing established policies to ban Buddhist practice, and promoted Daoism instead. After the Longqing period, although most emperors continued to favour Tibetan Buddhism, government sponsorship gradually declined due to the ongoing economic breakdown and political turmoil.
This washer was made in the Xuande period when Tibetan Buddhism began to flourish. To most scholars and collectors, symbols and decorative motif derived from Tibetan Buddhism would refer to the eight auspicious offerings, vajra, Sanskrit, and Tibetan script. Due to the scarcity of surviving works, makara has not been thoroughly studied. Based on my understanding, less than twenty makara decorated cloisonné enamel pieces from the mid-Ming dynasty are known in public and private collections, of which six are with the Beijing Palace Museum. The aforementioned ‘monk's cap’ jar in the Tibet Museum (fig. 2), is the one example known to be made upon an imperial order from Emperor Xuande. Its ear elegantly decorated with makara while the body depicting the prevailing lotus scrolls in medallions, the jar symbolised the perfect assemblage of Han and Tibetan cultures of the time.
Now, knowing that the current washer is the only other existing example that was made by the imperial workshop in the Xuande period, its importance needs no further explanation. Another unique feature is the elaborate continuation of the floral decorations on the base, which is unprecedented as most Xuande cloisonné enamel wares are known to have undecorated bases. The ample application of the marvelous cloisonné technique on this example, together with the excessive use of the valuable bronze, attest to the glamour and extravagance of imperial treasures during the period. In addition to its artistic refinement, the washer also holds tremendous academic value, serving as pivotal evidence to the study of the development of Tibetan Buddhism in the early Ming court.