A PAIR OF IMPERIAL CARVED WOOD, POLYCHROME AND GILT-LACQUERED 'DRAGON' PANELS QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD | 清乾隆 御製木雕金地彩漆海水雲龍紋掛屏一對

Collection of Jacob Bendaman, acquired in the 1950s-1960s.

Jacob Bendaman 收藏，1950-1960年代入藏

This magnificent pair of panels, powerfully carved with dragons, showcases the pinnacle of imperial workmanship and brings to the fore the dragon as the most important symbol of the emperor. The creation of such powerful high-quality imperial furniture, manufactured in the Palace Workshop (Zaobanchu), which operated under the command of the Imperial Household Department (Neiwufu), involved the complex blend of five essential fields: symbolism of the imagery, aesthetic taste, design, material and craftsmanship. The entire composition symbolises the emperor’s rule of the lands and oceans. Such imagery was historically popular among, and exclusive to, members of the imperial family, thus placing the present cabinet in the highest class of Chinese furniture. The motif on the panels is of two confronting dragons playfully flanking a ‘flaming pearl’, surrounded by clouds, known as er long xi zhu ('two dragons playing with a pearl'), motifs evolving from primitive depictions of dragons as mythical beasts. The powerful imagery of the dragons reflects how the Qianlong Emperor wished to present himself - the benevolent ruler and ultimate authority of the empire. The dragon is the primary representation of the Emperor’s supremacy and as such embodies all that was important to him. The frequent display of this ancient mythical creature on works of art and furnishings, such as the present pair of panels, is an expression of imperial authority with the five-clawed dragon, the ultimate symbol of the ruler, only ever displayed on Imperial belongings.

The panels encapsulate the exacting taste of the Qianlong Emperor, who created a legacy of immense imperial splendor. It was his penchant for monumentalism and display that guided every aspect of his life. The emperor surrounded himself with furnishings, object and artefacts that represented his passion for monumental display and authority. The current panels achieve this objective. They are remarkable for the exceptional quality of the three-dimensional carving used for the rendition of the vermilion-red dragons, portrayed with great energy in varying levels of relief against the backdrop of densely floating scrolls and a deep gilt-lacquered wave ground, all of which convey an impression of authority. The workmanship reflects the carvers’ total command of their material and complete mastery of the design.

The panels may originally have been created to decorate a hall in the palace, or, judging by the shou characters inset in the frame, have been created to commemorate an Imperial birthday. In the official records, there is a reference in 1771 to a panel decorated with kui dragons in zitan on a gilt-lacquered ground in the Jingyang Gong (Palace of Great Brilliance). For similar articulation of dragons on high status Imperial furniture, see the treatment of the dragons on a Qianlong period lacquer screen from the Palace Museum, Beijing, included in the exhibition, China. The Three Emperors 1662-1795, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, cat. no. 17.