Lot 117. A brown-glazed 'painting and poem' weight, 18th-19th century; 4 in. (10.2 cm.) long. Estimate GBP 8,000 - GBP 12,000 (USD 10,360 - USD 15,540). Price realised GBP 7,500 (USD 9,705). © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

The square tile is decorated to one side based upon the 'Bird and Apricot Blossoms' painting by the Five Dynasties' painter Huang Quan, with a bird perched upon a flowering apricot branch amongst bamboo, with an apocryphal signature Chengdu Huang Quan, with two seals readingHuang and Quan. The reverse is inscribed with a Qianlong poem regarding the painting, inscribed and dated yiwei year with two seals reading Qian and Long.

Note: This tile is based upon the fifth ink cake in a set of nine commissioned by Emperor Qianlong entitled Yu bi ti hua shi mo, 'Imperially inscribed painting and poem ink cakes' which are in the collection of The Palace Museum, Beijing. The subject of the ink cake set are nine classic paintings by eight artists, each paired with a poem composed by Qianlong Emperor.

Huang Quan (903-965) was a celebrated painter from Chengdu in Sichuan Province, he was best known for his naturalistic depiction of birds and flowers.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics And Works of Art, 9 May 2017, London, King Street