Lot 3855. A massive and important imperial cinnabar lacquer slip-trailed and gilt-painted 'dragon' cabinet, Ming dynasty; 256 by 98 by h. 325 cm. Lot Sold 7,200,000 HKD (Estimate 8,000,000 - 15,000,000 HKD). © Sotheby's 2024

A MONUMENTAL CINNABAR LACQUER AND GILT-DECORATED 'DRAGON' SUTRA CABINET*

Furniture items from the Ming and Qing dynasties are full of surprises. Despite extensive scholarly inquiry and scientific examination spanning more than a century, occasional discoveries, such as the present piece, continue to astound with their remarkable characteristics.

Sutra cabinets in temples and monasteries are an important type of ancient furniture. Surviving examples, especially those commissioned by imperial decree, showcase exceptional craftsmanship, ingenious structure, high-quality materials, and often times impressive dimensions, surpassing other furniture items in size from the same time period.

This massive example that I recently encountered is notable for its angular 'gate-fold' design, referred to as yi feng shu (an envelope of letter) in Chinese, which deviates from the more common round-corner style. Adorned with slip trailing and Painted in gilt with ferocious dragons, all against a cinnabar-lacquered backdrop, this cabinet exemplifies the timeless grandeur of the Ming dynasty. Its discovery enhances our knowledge of Ming-style furniture.

The historical significance of lacquer in traditional Chinese furniture has been somewhat overlooked in recent years. Further research on this prevalent type of furniture would greatly benefit experienced collectors and scholars. The unique artistry and craftsmanship of this important monumental cabinet not only offer a valuable opportunity for collecting but also hold great potential for academic research.

* authored by a leading scholar of classical Chinese furniture

Bright red lacquer with gold dragon pattern Tripitaka cabinet*

Ming and Qing furniture always brings surprises. Ming and Qing furniture systems and scientific research have been organized for 100 years, but there are still new and surprising examples that shock people.

The scripture cabinet in a temple or monastery is a very important item of ancient furniture. Judging from the actual objects handed down from ancient times, it can be seen that all such utensils, especially those made by imperial officials, are very particular about their craftsmanship, structure and materials, and many of them are the largest types of furniture. Some of the scripture cabinets we have seen in the past were mostly in the shape of rounded corner cabinets. In recent days, we have seen such a huge and completely different form of "a book" style scripture cabinet, with a vermilion lacquer bottom and ribs. Painted golden dragons, a typical Ming Dynasty style, shock people and enrich our understanding of Ming-style furniture.

Among traditional Chinese furniture, lacquer furniture is actually the mainstream. It has been somewhat neglected in recent years. Senior collectors and scholars are most concerned about and pay attention to it, and it requires us to invest more research. This large cabinet not only has extremely important collection value, but also has academic research value because it carries a lot of special craft information.

^{* The author is a senior classical scholar of Chinese furniture}

The unique artistry and craftsmanship of this important monumental cabinet not only offers a valuable opportunity for collecting but also holds great potential for academic research.

Adorned with richly gilded dragons whirling atop a crimson ground of cinnabar lacquer, the present cabinet is, without a doubt, one of the most exceptional pieces of Ming furniture to come to market in recent years. Towering at more than three meters tall, the piece appears to be one of the largest cabinets ever produced during the Wanli period (1573-1620) and stands as a lasting tribute to the splendour, gravitas and master workmanship of the Ming court.

From its very foundation, the Ming dynasty saw a newfound appreciation for lacquer wares and particularly those colored a grand cinnabar red. Bearing the surname Zhu (lit. 'vermillion') and adopting fire as the official dynastic element, Ming emperors turned to vermillion as the de-facto official color of the Ming court and strictly regulated the production of cinnabar lacquer. For example, revised on the orders of the Wanli Emperor, the Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty ( Da Ming huidian ) records an edict of the Hongwu Emperor from 1393 in which even those bearing the title lord ( gong ) or marquis ( hou ), were forbidden from using any kind of “vermillion lacquer, gilt decoration or carved designs of dragons and phoenixes”. Another similar reference to the imperial status of cinnabar lacquer is found in the 16th century classic, The Plum in the Golden Vase ( Jin ping mei ), in which the protagonist Ximen Qing is congratulated on his acquisition of bronze cymbals stored on shelves whose “fine workmanship and vermillion lacquer are all up to official imperial standards." From these sources alone, one begins to appreciate the exceptional nature of the present cabinet: of enormous awe-inspiring proportions, glowing in the still vibrant tones of the Ming court - this lacquer cabinet is an exceptionally rare, if not unique , imperial treasure.

However, perhaps even more remarkable than the proportions of the present cabinet is its sumptuous golden decoration. Rendered with extraordinary depth and vibrancy, the design features eight imperial dragons whirling around flaming pearls and injects each of the cupboard's massive wooden panels with an overwhelming sense of energy and majesty. Similarly rendered on contemporaneous porcelain and textile, these five-clawed creatures are typical of the ferocious designs of the late Ming period and leave no doubt as to the imperial origins of the piece. Also delineated in the Collected Statutes , the use of dragon designs was reserved only for the most senior members of the Imperial Family and misuse by the public could result in severe punishment:

“If any officials or commoners illegally use dragon or phoenix designs in violation of the ban, they shall be punished with 100 strokes of the cane and sentenced to three years of penal servitude. The craftsmen responsible shall also receive 100 strokes of the cane, and together with their families, will be sent to the capital and registered as laborers in the imperial workshops. The prohibited items will be confiscated by the authorities.” ( Da Ming huidian , juan 165)

Emerging amidst this culture of strict hierarchy and imperial opulence, the imposing symbol of the almighty dragon continues to dominate the visual language of Chinese craftsmanship; a fitting symbol of an emperor's power and the grandeur of his palace.

The present decoration is also exceedingly rare in its liberal use of applied lacquer relief-work which accentuates the richly gilt design. Perhaps most closely comparable to relief work on Buddhist stucco murals of the Yuan and Ming dynasty, this appliqué design, likely piped directly onto the cabinet surface, is known by lacquer masters as duicai ('heaped colours') and described in the earliest extant treatise on lacquer, the Xiushi lu ( On Lacquer Decoration , 1625) among hundreds of other once attested techniques. Ironically, though the Xiushi lu makes no mention of using duicai on gilt designs, excavations have revealed that this rare combination may have been one of the earliest applications of the technique. Compare a group of sutra boxes and reliquaries excavated from a Song dynasty site – likely produced even earlier – at the Pagoda of Huiguang, in Rui'an, Zhejiang province, adorned with gold-painted Buddhist scenes framed by lacquer appliqué ; see Harry Garner, Chinese Lacquer , London, 1979, pl. 24. Although the original use of the present cabinet cannot be known, the close connection of both stucco murals and the Rui'an boxes with Buddhism may suggest that this too once held some religious significance, perhaps for storing sutras or as one of a pair in an imperial shrine.

Surveying the major public and private collections of today, only a handful of other Wanli period cabinets of comparable style and size appear to be known; all of which are far smaller than the present and lack duicai relief-work. Compare a smaller cabinet (222 cm) of Wanli mark and period from the Wannieck Collection featuring gilt-painted dragons on black lacquer, now preserved in the Musée Guimet, Paris, in Harry Garner, op. cit. , pls 144 and 145; a richly gilded medicine cabinet (94cm ) from the Qing Court collection, now in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (I) , Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 177; and a pair of brown gilt-painted dragon cabinets (160 cm) from a French private collection in F. Low-Beer, 'Chinese Lacquer of the Ming Period', The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities Bulletin , no. 24, Stockholm, 1952, pls 36 and 33 (right). Compare also two closely related red lacquer cabinets of Wanli mark and period, adorned with gold and polychrome dragon designs using the qiangjin ('etched gold') and tianqi ('filled-in') techniques: the former (174 cm) also preserved in the Qing court, see Complete Collection , op. cit. , pl. 172 ( fig. 1 ); and the latter (216 cm) included in the catalog of the Museum für Lackkunst , Münster, 1994, pl. 15.

fig. 1. A cinnabar-ground ' qiangjin ' and ' tianqi ' lacquer 'dragon' cabinet, mark and period of Wanli, h. 174 cm, Qing court collection. Courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing.

This large cabinet not only has extremely important collection value, but also has academic research value because it carries a lot of special craft information.

This cabinet with its red ground and gold dragon pattern is extraordinarily gorgeous. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece of Ming-style furniture that has appeared on the market in recent years. It is more than three meters high and has a magnificent workmanship. It was made during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It is believed to be one of the largest examples of the same period, fully demonstrating the Ming Dynasty. The palace's majestic style and exquisite craftsmanship are rare and magnificent, and will last forever.

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, lacquer craftsmanship has received unprecedented attention, with red lacquer being particularly popular. Zhu is the surname of the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu means red. Moreover, the five elements of the Ming Dynasty belong to fire, and fire corresponds to red. Vermilion became the royal color of the Ming Dynasty court, and the production of vermilion lacquerware was strictly controlled. According to the "Da Ming Huidian" revised during the Wanli period, the royal decree in the 26th year of Hongwu (1393) strictly prohibited the use of vermilion lacquer, gilded gold, or carving of dragon and phoenix patterns even for dignitaries such as dukes and marquises. In addition, the sixteenth-century literary classic "Jin Ping Mei" tells that Ximen Qing purchased a gong and placed it on a vermilion lacquer stand. The lacquer stand was exquisitely crafted and comparable to "the model in the lawsuit." This also shows that the vermilion lacquer was a palace treasure. This cabinet is large in size and has a bright vermilion paint surface. It is in line with the nobility of the palace and can be called a rare treasure.

What is more eye-catching than its size is the gorgeous gold-painted decoration all over the cabinet. The eight dragons hovering among the fire beads are lifelike, powerful and vivid, and have a strong three-dimensional effect. This type of five-clawed dragon pattern can also be seen on porcelain and fabrics of the same period, showing the royal style of the late Ming Dynasty and proving that this cabinet was exclusively used by the palace. According to the 165th volume of "Da Ming Huidian", the dragon pattern is only for imperial use. If officials or civilians violate the prohibition and use dragon and phoenix patterns for private use, they will be severely punished: "If anyone uses the prohibited dragon and phoenix patterns without permission, the official and the citizen will each have a hundred sticks, and the disciples will be punished." Three years later. With one hundred craftsmen's sticks, he was sent to Beijing as a young man, and his official status was as a craftsman."

The dragon pattern symbolizes supreme authority and expresses the grandeur of the palace. It dominates the visual language of Chinese craftsmanship. As recorded in the aforementioned classics, the hierarchy behind the pattern is strict.

In addition to the size and ornamentation, the decoration technique of this cabinet is also extremely rare. The technique of stacking colors highlights the gorgeous gold painting. This method is most similar to the Buddhist paint murals of the Yuan and Ming dynasties. The painter applies paint directly to the surface to form a three-dimensional decorative effect, which is called "piling up colors". According to "Painting and Decoration Records" written in 1625 in the Ming Dynasty, stacking colors was one of the many lacquer techniques at that time. Although the "Painting and Decoration Record" does not record that Dui Cai and gilding were applied on the same vessel, archaeological research shows that the earliest users of Dui Cai technique may have been a rare combination of Dui Cai and gilding. Compare the examples of sutras and relics unearthed from the Song Dynasty site of Huiguang Pagoda in Ruian, Zhejiang (the period of production or earlier), which are decorated with gold Buddhist patterns and colorful decorations on the borders; see Sir Ghana, "Chinese Lacquer", London, 1979, plate 24. The original purpose of this cabinet is unknown, but it can be inferred from the above examples that this cabinet may have been used for religious purposes, or for storing Buddhist scriptures, or for use in palace temples.

Looking at the existing public or private collections of Wanli furniture, there are only a few examples with similar patterns and sizes to this cabinet, and the size is much smaller than the present one, and there is no additional color. For example, Wannieck collected a Wanli model black lacquered gold dragon-patterned cabinet (222 cm high), which is now in the Musée Guimet in Paris, published in Sir Garner, supra, plates 144 and 145; the Forbidden City in Beijing collects a gold-painted medicine cabinet (94 cm high) , formerly collected by the Qing Palace, is included in "The Complete Collection of Cultural Relics and Treasures from the Palace Museum." Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (Part 1)", Hong Kong, 2002, plate 177; a pair of brown lacquered gold dragon cabinets (160 cm high) in a private collection in France, in F. Low-Beer, "Chinese Lacquer of the Ming Period", " Report of the Far Eastern Antiquities Museum, Stockholm, 1952, plates 36 and 33 (right). There are also two red lacquered gold dragon-patterned cabinets, both of which were made during the Wanli period. One is 174 cm high and is collected by the Palace Museum in Beijing. See "The Complete Collection of Treasures of Cultural Relics from the Palace Museum", plate 172 ( Fig. 1 ); the other is 216 cm high. , in the Lacquerware Museum Münster, see catalog 1994, plate 15

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 26 November 2024