AN IVORY AND HARDSTONE INLAY 'ONE HUNDRED BIRDS' PANEL QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

the rectangular panel opulently centred with a pair of phoenix, the male feng depicted standing on pierced rockwork and the female huang perched on a prunus tree branch, surrounded by a menagerie of birds varying from mandarin ducks to parrots, finches to magpies, and doves to sparrows, their bodies rendered from brightly painted inlaid ivory, the rocks made of further painted ivory imitating lapis lazuli, the petals of the prunus made from rock crystal, and the petals of the small flowers on the sides made of brilliant turquoise bird feathers and coral, the lively design reserved on a painted slate blue ground and framed in a gilt-bronze European frame

Apart from a few loose minor pieces falling off and being re-glued, the overall condition is very good. The vertical line (visible in the catalogue) on the right hand side of the panel is the edge of the panel and when the panel is opened from the back can be separated from the frame. The whole panel is protected behind glass. There are a few minor old chips to the frame.
"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."

Meticulously detailed and executed with great skill, panels of this type were probably made to decorate the private halls of the Imperial Palaces. The making of the present panel would certainly have tested the skills of the artisans working with various materials in the Zaobanchu [Imperial Palace Workshop] under the supervision of Neiwufu [Imperial Household Department] in the Forbidden City. This panel is possibly one of the finest examples of inlaid panels of its kind. 

The opulence of the various hardstones placed to form the high and low relief decoration and the kingfisher feather inlay make this piece special and particularly rare. For examples of imperial panels embellished with precious materials see one in situ in the Zhonghua Gong [Palace of Double Brilliance] illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 259; and a pair of embellished lacquer panels sold at Christie's New York, 29th March 2006, lot 254. Another inlaid wood and lacquered panel, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, is published ibid., pls. 196, 200 and 201.

The technique of inlaying feathers is called diancui, meaning 'dotting the kingfishers', whereby the feather is cut into shape and attached with glue onto the base. The intense blue colour of the feathers comes not from pigments in the feather itself, but in the way light is bent back and reflected back to the eye. The most expensive and highest quality works traditionally used feathers imported from Cambodia and it is said that Chinese imperial demand for kingfisher feathers may have contributed to the wealth of the Khmer Empire. A screen depicting birds amongst peach tress and inlaid with kingfisher feathers and hardstones is pictured in situ in Chang Chun Gong [Palace of Eternal Spring], illustrated ibid., pl. 254. Manchu court ladies favoured wearing hair ornaments inlaid with precious gems and kingfisher feathers; for an example see a headdress (tianzi) included in the Exhibition of Ch'ing Dynasty Costume Accessories, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1986, cat. no. 87.

As well as being highly decorative, the subject matter displayed on the screen was chosen for its auspicious meaning. As the phoenix is the king of birds, the subject of phoenix surrounded by many birds is known as 'hundred birds courting the phoenix' (bainiao chaohuang or bainiao chaofeng), or 'hundred birds paying homage to the king (bainiao chaowang). Since the phoenix only appears during peaceful reigns, it is closely connected with the ruler, and in this motif it stands for the relationship between a ruler and his officials. The birds depicted in such scenes carry symbolic meaning  and represent the 'Picture of the Five Relationships' (luxutu, wuluntu); the cranes represent the relationship between father and son; mandarin ducks the relationship between husband and wife; wagtails the relationship between brothers; and the relationship between friends is represented by the orioles. See a Ming dynasty painting of the five pairs of birds illustrated in Terese Bartholomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, fig. 6.37.4.

The subject of hundred birds courting the phoenix is also found on vessels of various materials, for example, see a famille-rose version with Qianlong mark and of the period, sold in our London rooms, 9th June 1992, lot 290; and a pair of cloisonné enamel vases, attributed to the Qianlong period, sold in our Monaco rooms, 9th February 1982, lot 1256.