A rare cloisonné enamel 'landscape' box and cover, Ming dynasty, 16th / 17th century | 明十六 / 十七世紀 掐絲琺瑯山水圖蓋盒

Christie's London, 10th May 1993, lot 37.

Gerard Hawthorn, London, 21st May 2002.

倫敦佳士得1993年5月10日，編號37

Gerard Hawthorn，倫敦，2002年5月21日

The cloisonné technique was introduced to China in the early 15th century, but it was not until the mid-Ming that craftsman embarked on the depiction of complex and detailed painting-like scenes with figures in landscape settings. Cloisonné covered boxes with such decoration remained, however, extremely rare. In form and design, this piece is referencing lacquer wares; see, for example, a lacquer box of the similar size and decorated with similar scene, illustrated in John Figgess, 'Ming and Pre-Ming Lacquer in the Japanese Tea Ceremony', Transaction of the Oriental Ceramic Society, 1967-69, vol. 37, pl. 55. 

One closely related example from the collection of Sir Harry Garner (1891-1977), is now housed in the British Museum, London, accession no. 1977,0718.2; and another, with a similar scene but surrounded by the Three Friends of Winter, is preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Gugong Bowuyuan cangpin daxi. Falangqi bian / Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Cloisonné, vol. 1, Beijing, 2011, lot 157.

More common are covered boxes decorated with flower motifs, such as an example decorated with lotus in the centre and various floral scrolls at the sides, also in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo jinyin boli falang qi quanji. Falangqi [Complete books of gold and silver, glass and cloisonné wares], vol. 5, Shijiazhuang, 2002, pl. 124. Compare also a related box and cover decorated with peony and grapes, included in the exhibition Cloisonné. Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, Bard Graduate Center, New York, 2011, cat. no. 3.10.