Grande paire d'éléphants en bronze doré et émaux cloisonnés Chine, Dynastie Qing, époque Qianlong-Jiaqing, fin XVIIIème siècle

façonnés en émaux coisonnés blanc et or, l'expression paisible, debout sur leur quatres pattes, portant un grand vase archaïque à anses sur leur dos, et caparaçonné d'un long harnachement à décor de rinceaux de lotus sur fond bleu turquoise, symboles auspicieux bouddhistes, pierre sonore, et symboles de longévité shou; chacun sur une base en bois

Un exemple similaire d'éléphant en bronze doré et émaux cloisonnés est illustré dans le catalogue Masterpieces of Chinese Enamel Ware in the National Palace Museum, Taiwan, 1971, pl. 29

The elephant in China is one of the seven Buddhist Sacred Treasures and symbolises peace.  The combination of an elephant (xiang) and a vase (ping), which can often be found on the elephant's back, is a reference to 'peaceful times (taiping youxiang)'.  Compare a pair of similarly decorated cloisonné enamel elephants set with double-gourd vases on their backs, in the H. Brinker and A. Lutz, Chinese Cloisonné: The Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, cat.no.332.

See also a cloisonné enamel elephant but of smaller size, sold in our New York rooms, 18^th September 2007, lot 146; and another pair sold in our New York rooms, 20^th March 2007, lot 552.

One: there are some usual spots, soiling and pittings to the enamel surface as visibler in the illustraton. The gilt is rubbed in places. the right ear has a sight chip to the top part (about 1 x 2cm). There are some usual spots, soiling and pitting on the cloisonne surface. Gilt is rubbed in places. Its left ear has a small surface chip to the to the upper part, otherwise good the other Similar condition to the first and some small enamels missing to the back of the saddle edge and top part of the saddle.
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