Lot 136. A pair of cloisonné enamel ‘Phoenix’ lanterns, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795). The lanterns, 30cm., 11 7/8 in. Estimate 60,000 — 80,000 GBP. Lot sold 92,500 GBP. © Sotheby's

each of lozenge form, the open frame decorated with archaistic kui dragons, set with four rectangular glass panels, the bevelled shoulders and foot similarly decorated with stylised lotus sprays and further kui dragon bands, the gilt-bronze rim and foot encircled by keyfret borders, all behind a pair of well-modelled phoenix standing on ornamental rocky ledges, each phoenix grasping a sprig of lingzhi in its beak, one bird with head turned sharply to its back while the other lowers and turns its head, their gilt-bronze heads finely detailed with elaborate feathers around the neck, brightly enamelled with plumage, all supported on a gilt-bronze plate above a carved wood pedestal.

Note: The ingenuity of craftsmen working in the Qianlong period is reflected in this pair of lanterns, which are remarkable for their unusual shape and design. By considering the primary function of these lanterns as a starting point for the work, to provide light from within the glass panels, the craftsman has deliberately depicted the phoenixes in exaggerated poses. Their craning necks and outstretched wings that are pressed against the glass would have cast dramatic shadows across the room when the lanterns were lit while providing an effective contrast with the glittering gilt bronze elements of the lanterns. 

Cloisonné lanterns are more commonly found in square or rectangular form and without embellishments; see a pair of square-section lanterns sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th October 2009, lot 1738; a pair of rectangular lanterns sold in our London rooms, 28th October 1983, lot 51; and two further pairs sold at Christie’s New York, 24th March 2011, lot 1617, and 20th September 2013, lot 1633.