A MAGNIFICENT LARGE CINNABAR LACQUER 'NINE DRAGON' SCREEN WITH AN INLAID IMPERIALLY INSCRIBED POEM QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT. CLIENTS WHO WISH TO BID ON PREMIUM LOTS ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE PREMIUM LOT PRE-REGISTRATION 3 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE SALE.

the large rectangular screen finely and intricately carved in varying layers of relief through the rich cinnabar red with a central dragon shown in full frontal position encircling a 'flaming pearl', flanked by a further six ferocious dragons amid turbulent rolling waves crashing against rockwork, their undulating bodies prancing and captured in various poses, the bottom with a futher two dragons contesting a 'flaming pearl', all within a border decorated with panels enclosing feathery lotus scrolls and reserved on a wan diaper ground, the reverse inlaid in white jade with a thirteen-character inscription preceded by Qianlong Nian zhi shi hua, the bottom panel carved with lotus scrolls, all supported on a elaborately carved stand with an apron carved with further lotus scrolls

Horstmann & Godfrey, Hong Kong.
Spink and Son, London.
Christie's New York, 20 September 2005, lot 104.

The overall condition is very good with only minor age cracks throughout and chips along the corners. There are minor consolidated chips with light restoration along the edges. A few of the jade characters on the back of the screen have fallen off, some with a few cracks in the jade. Some of the pieces have been re-glued. On the base, the top left side, there is a 2cm chip to the edge.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This magnificent screen is inlaid with a poem by the Qianlong emperor written in the 6th year of his reign (equivalent to 1742 A.D.) It is recorded in the emperor's poetry collection Yuzhi shiji (Collection of Imperial Poems) compiled in the Siku quanshu (Complete Library of Four Treasuries), first collection (ji), 5:5b. The poem can be translated as follows:

Xizhi I call the sage of calligraphy—
Of all the styles he had them all.
During the Qi and Liang no such masters
But in the Li Tang era were Yan and Liu.
Alas, their times so far from now
That nine of ten works are surely fakes.
Of those from the Song and Yuan it's barely possible
To find pieces by the actual calligraphers themselves.
When leisure moments occur I shun mere waste of time
But sometimes wander amidst collections of artistic works.
Among them examples of famous calligraphers abound,
But I love those by Old Fellow Luzhi the very best.
So free and easy he escaped all conscious design,
So unrestrained he was free of any taint from the impure world.
He was like a tall pine tree a hundred feet high
That stands alone rarely grouped with companions.
Trusting implicitly in his brush he became one with guiding principles,
Wielding wrist and elbow he forgot all about beauty and unsightliness.
What he's led by exists in his spirit and energy,
So why should he have cared whether forms look like they should or not!
Well, if I have a serious thought about something,
There's his brush of remonstration kept then under such guarded care.
If what I like or esteem is something improper,
Such lack of virtue has already enjoyed substantial remedy.
And if love of something stems from dim or dull wit,
I write out this poem whose inscription occupies a place to the  right.

The present screen is exceptional for its remarkable high-relief carving. The magnificent five-clawed dragon is symbolic of the emperor and is rendered with a ferocious expression, with gaping jaws to reveal sharp fangs, bulbous eyes and flaring nostrils, in a most meticulous and naturalistic manner. The dragon's scaly body is depicted in the moment of leaping above the superbly detailed turbulent waves in pursuit of the flaming pearl amongst further swirling and crashing waves. 

Carving of this style and design seems to be rare on screens, although two related lacquer screens from the Palace Museum, Beijing, were included in the exhibition, China. The Three Emperors 1662-1795, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, one much larger and with a closely related central dragon, cat. no. 17; and the other a smaller screen of similar form, decorated with 'one hundred boys' and dragons in waves on the reverse, cat. no. 229. The dragons in waves motif can be found on various cinnabar lacquer wares, for example compare the Imperial box carved with similar dragons on a wave ground, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31^st October 2000, lot 979; and two boxes from the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, pls. 9 and 46. 

The intricacy of the carving and the inlaid inscription on the reverse of the screen reflects the opulent taste of the Qianlong emperor. While  it was common for the Qianlong emperor to leave inscriptions on all types of objects, it is unusual to find a lacquer piece with inlaid jade inscription. See a related smaller cinnabar lacquer screen with carved inscription on the reverse of a landscape scene from the Palace Museum, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, pl. 60.

The five-clawed dragon can be found on various imperial pieces, especially textiles. The inspiration for the decoration on the present screen may have come from Imperial Court robes (jifu), which formed part of the wardrobe of the Qing Imperial family and was worn by the Qianlong emperor on his birthday celebrations, such as the robe sold in these rooms, 10^th April 2006. Ceramics were also decorated with this motif, as seen in the superb blue and white moonflask sold in our London rooms, 7^th November 2007, lot 407. See also two pairs of comparable zitan Imperial panels, sold in these rooms, 8th April 2007, lots 871 and 872.