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Lot Essay
The pair of stemcups are finely carved on the exterior with phoenixes in flight amidst luxuriant peony scrolls, each bird shown with its head turned back and long tail feathers flowing elegantly among full, richly layered blossoms and entwined foliage, conveying the auspicious motif of feng chuan fugui (“the phoenix amid prosperity”). The high feet are carved with sinuous chilong dragons, their coiling bodies rendered with vitality and strength, forming a complementary pairing with the phoenix above and evoking the auspicious theme of longfeng chengxiang (“dragon and phoenix bringing good fortune”).
The interiors of the cups and the inner foot rims are fitted with metal linings, an unusual and technically accomplished feature.
See a red lacquer bowl, similarly decorated with phoenixes among peonies, is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum (inv. no. EA1964.74), dated to the 16th century.
The interiors of the cups and the inner foot rims are fitted with metal linings, an unusual and technically accomplished feature.
See a red lacquer bowl, similarly decorated with phoenixes among peonies, is preserved in the Ashmolean Museum (inv. no. EA1964.74), dated to the 16th century.