明萬曆 剔彩海水游龍紋長方蓋盒 《大明萬曆壬辰年製》款

of rectangular form with slightly bombé sides and cusped corners, all supported on a rectangular foot, deftly carved in varied levels of relief through the rich cinnabar lacquer and two fine black and yellow layers to the green ground below with a green and a red five-clawed dragon in mutual pursuit of a 'flaming pearl', their sinuous scaly bodies writhing in midair among ruyi-shaped clouds above jagged rocks battered by crested waves, all reserved on a ground of red floral diapers and green undulating waves, the sides decorated with composite floral scrolls of chrysanthemum, peony and camellia with leaves highlighted in green and ochre yellow, enclosed within recessed cartouches against a ground of densely foliate lotus scrolls, the box similarly decorated with floral cartouches recessed on a lotus scroll-ground, the foot incised with key-fret, the interior and base lacquered in black, the latter dated with an incised six-character reign mark in gilt

The box is in overall good condition. Some age cracks have been stabilized with touch up, especially on the borders framing the floral cartouches. The interior rim has also been stabilized with later relacquering. There is typical crackes to the black lacquer on the interior and on the base, as well as light surface pitting to one side of the base.
"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."

本品雕刻精妙非凡，漆層色彩搭配出眾，尤為難得。漆層厚實，依序疊施綠、朱、橘、黃、綠、朱色漆料。雕刻雖以紅綠二色為主調，卻巧用黃漆作卷雲及葉片細部，搭配極為少見的橘色，表現水平面之波紋曲線，巧妙分隔出海及天。

此類倭角蓋盒，興於萬曆年間，除漆作外亦有瓷例，至明代末年仍甚風行。雖見有相近漆雕龍紋蓋盒，但第五爪多遭刪除。現例龍紋五爪俱在，雕工精巧，尤為珍稀。參考北京故宮藏三例，載於《故宮博物院藏雕漆》，北京，1985年，圖版228、229，與本品相同，底足內緣均書八字年款，「大明萬曆壬辰年製」，而同書圖版248之款識也與此相近，惟紀年乙未（1595）。一件類同作例，無紀年，展出於《The Florence and Herbert Irving Collection》，大都會藝術博物館，紐約，1991年，編號37。同頁作者指出此類漆盒，原用以保存重要文件或盛裝禮品。

可比較相同器形之剔彩雕漆盒，蓋面作菱花式開光，內飾坐龍，亦書萬曆乙未年款，如一例現藏北京故宮，刊錄於王世襄，《中國古代漆器》，北京，1987年，圖版65。另一例售於香港佳士得2008年5月27日，編號1563。並參考一件剔紅雕漆盒，構圖相類，作龍鳳紋，書萬曆壬辰年款，現藏北京故宮，出處同上，圖版238；還有一例，刊載於 Fritz Low-Beer，〈Chinese Lacquer of the Middle and Late Ming Period〉，《Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities. Stockholm Bulletin》，第24期，1952年，頁34，圖版24，圖89-90，售於倫敦佳士得1975年6月9日，編號121。

明代末年，同類長方盒形也甚盛行，參考一件類同青花作例，出自光怡志堂珍藏，展於《爐火純青：嘉靖及萬曆官窰瓷器》，香港大學美術博物館，香港，2009年，編號96。類比漆器及瓷作例，可證不同作坊之間，交流持續頻繁。例如，回紋源於織錦，十四世紀納入雕漆紋飾，並於十六世紀時，始現於瓷器圖紋。參考一件萬曆年款五彩長方蓋盒，開光內作雙龍紋，周繞回紋，售於倫敦佳士得1964年10月26日，編號96。