An impressive carved rhinoceros horn 'figural landscape' libation cup, Qing dynasty, 17th century. Estimate 500,000 — 700,000 HKD (56,651 - 79,312 EUR). Photo Sotheby's.

well carved around the exterior with a continuous landscape depicting a fisherman and attendant angling from a barge on a stream, the reverse with a man holding a basket, all set in a dramatic landscape below overhanging cliffs issuing verdant trees, two intricately carved pines extending in openwork on one side forming the handles and perking through the cliff towards further rockwork issuing a lingzhi on the interior, the horn richly patinated to a chocolate-brown colour at the foot transmuting to a warm amber tone towards the rim - 16.5 cm., 6 1/2  in.

Notes: Deftly carved with a fisherman in a riverscape, rhinoceros horn cups decorated with figural scenes were inspired by painted handscrolls, whereby the continuous scene was ‘unravelled’ as the cup was turned.

For examples of vessels decorated with a figural landscape see four illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Shanghai, 2001, pls. 145-148, from the Qing court collection and all attributed to the early Qing period.

Sotheby's. Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 03 déc. 2015, 02:00 PM