1 février 2020

Qiu Ying (1494? – 1552), The Jiucheng Palace, detail, c. 1525–33. Photo: © Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts Los Angeles— The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents Where the Truth Lies: The Art of Qiu Ying, the first exhibition on the great Ming dynasty painter ever organized outside of Asia. Few artists in Chinese history have proven as enigmatic as Qiu Ying (c. 1494–c.1552), whose life and art reveal a series of paradoxes. Though one of the most famous artists of the Ming period, almost... [Lire la suite]

Lot 362. An imperial spinach jade 'Xianfu Gong' seal, Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period (1796-1820). Length 2 1/8 in., 5.5 cm, Width 1 3/8 in., 3.6 cm. Estimate 400,000 — 600,000 USD. Lot sold 1,202,500 USD. Photo Sotheby's the plain high rectangular base surmounted by a deftly carved and pierced knop in the form of a ferocious five-clawed dragon in pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', its undulating body with finely incised scales meandering within dense cloud scrolls to display... [Lire la suite]

Lot 303. An imperial jade ‘Ba Zheng Mao Nian Zhi Bao’ seal, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795). Length 2 1/4 in., 6 cm, Width 2 1/4 in., 6 cm. Estimate 800,000 — 1,200,000 USD. Lot sold 3,498,500 USD. Photo Sotheby's of square form, the seal surmounted by a pair of well-carved addorsed dragons, each with bulging eyes, flaring nostrils, gaping jaws and bared sharp teeth, the two scaled bodies crouching back on their haunches and pierced through the center... [Lire la suite]

Lot 176. A large bronze 'Shan' drum. Diameter 26 5/8 in., 67.6 cm. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 USD. Lot sold 10,000  USD. Photo Sotheby's of waisted circular form, the sides and overhanging flat top cast with decorative borders of flowerheads, birds and geometric design, set around the rim with four groups of three frogs stacked in diminishing size, the side with three elephants in a vertical line flanked by leafy trees. Provenance: Sotheby's New York, 23rd January 2011, lot 61. ... [Lire la suite]

Lot 175. A bronze 'Dongson' drum. Diameter 18 1/4 in., 46.4 cm. Estimate 7,000 — 9,000 USD. Lot sold 9,375 USD. Photo Sotheby's the waisted circular body and flat top cast with multiple concentric decorative bands, the sides applied with two pairs of double loop handles, wood stand (2). Provenance: Madame Chiang Kai-shek Collection. Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, New York, 11 september 2012

Lot 3232. A pair of famille rose rectangular jardinières, Daoguang period (1821-1850), Shendetang Zhi mark in iron red; 10 1/4 in. (26.2 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 500,000 - HKD 600,000. Price realised HKD 1,000,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2014.  The exteriors are finely enamelled on the exterior with a myriad of flowers including lotus, peony and prunus, picked out in a soft palette of pastel pink, yellow, blue, green and iron red. Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3329. A fine doucai floral bowl, Daoguang six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1821-1850); 5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 240,000 - HKD 350,000. Price realised HKD 275,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2014.  The bowl is finely enamelled to the exterior with six stylised upright flower sprays encompassed by a flower scroll, below a band of trefoils on a yellow ground at the rim. The interior is decorated with a flower spray encircled by a band of... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3327. Two famille rose 'Bitter melon and butterfly' bowls, Daoguang six-character marks in underglaze blue and of the period (1821-1850); 4 3/8 and 4 5/16 in. (11.2 and 11 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 600,000 - HKD 800,000. Price realised HKD 562,500. © Christie's Image Ltd 2014.  Each is finely enamelled with a coiling vine intertwined with bamboo, heavily laden with ripe bitter melon fruits growing amidst yellow blossoms and large leaves painted in two shades of... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3320. A famille rose ruby-ground 'Lantern' medallion bowl, Daoguang six-character mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1821-1850); 5 7/8 in. (15 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 150,000 - HKD 250,000. Price realised HKD 187,500. © Christie's Image Ltd 2014.  The exterior of the bowl is elaborately decorated with four medallions enclosing the feng deng, 'Lanterns of Abundance', separated by floral sprays set against a sgraffiato ruby-ground. The interior is... [Lire la suite]

Lot 3319. A finely painted famille rose figural cup, Jiaqing four-character mark in iron-red and of the period (1796-1820); 3 1/4 in. (8.2 cm.) diam. Estimate HKD 400,000 - HKD 600,000. Price realised HKD 500,000. © Christie's Image Ltd 2014.  The cup is decorated and gilt depicting Dong Xian wearing official's robes and holding a hu tablet. He is accompanied by two inscriptions relating to his life and story. One of the inscriptions enclosed within a colourful... [Lire la suite]