Lot 25. A rare and finely carved lobed cinnabar lacquer 'Washing the elephant' dish, Jiajing six-character incised mark and of the period (1522 - 1566); 8 ¾ in. (22.2 cm.) wide. Estimate GBP 20,000 - GBP 40,000 (USD 25,620 - USD 51,240). Price realised GBP 43,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019.

The octafoil shaped dish is magnificently carved through thick layers of cinnabar lacquer with an elephant next to a large wooden basin being washed by a servant standing on the animal with a broom, watched by Bodhidarma and two monks beside a servant carrying a water bucket, all on a patterned ground. The rim is enclosed by a band of eight delicately carved flower heads such as peony, chrysanthemums and lotus amongst loosely arranged leaves. The exterior is decorated with scrolling tendrils above the black lacquered base bearing the incised mark.

Property from the Estate of Albert and Leonie Van Daalen, Switzerland.

Provenance: With Ben Janssens Oriental Art, London, 1999.

Note: The decoration on this dish is a scene known as 'Washing the Elephant' (saoxiang, literally ‘sweeping the elephant’), and is associated with the Buddhist idea of Spiritual Purification. An initial link between the white elephant and Buddhism was revealed in connection with the birth of the Buddha. According to legend, his mother, Queen Maya, was childless for many years after her marriage, but one night she had a very vivid dream in which she was transported by four devas (spirits) to Lake Anotatta in the Himalayas. She was then visited by a white elephant holding a white lotus in its trunk, which walked around her three times before entering her womb through her right side. Tradition has it that the Buddha took the form of a white elephant in order to be reborn for the last time on Earth.

Illustrations of this scene were popular on late Ming and early Qing dynasty porcelains and other works of arts. It is, however, very rare to find a cinnabar lacquer dish depicting this scene.

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 5 November 2019