Exceptionnel plat en laque burgautée Chine, Dynastie Ming, XV-XVIE siècle

Octogonal sur un haut pied droit, l'intérieur à décor de deux moineaux perchés au clair de lune sur une branche de prunier en fleurs, huit cartouches lobées avec des tiges fleuries en rinceaux autour du cavetto se répétant au revers, frise géométrique étoilée autour du pied

The tray is overall in good condition. There are some small section of mother of pearl inlay missing (a branch twig extending from a flower above left of the two birds, some small sections of the octagonal lines around the central design). There are also some cracks consistent with age along the joint between the central section and the border. Some minor flakes and wear to the edges of the dish, crackling stabilized in the black lacquer ground, some crackling beneath 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."

A slightly earlier dish of this form and related design, but of smaller proportions, from the Florence and Herbert Irving Collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, was included in the exhibition East Asian Lacquer. The Florence and Herbert Irving Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1991, cat. no. 55, together with a rectangular tray decorated with a similar central scene, cat. no. 56.

The theme of flowering plums and sparrows was a popular theme in Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) painting and continued for centuries as a motif in lacquer. The Southern Song style of painting, which balanced a delicate composition against empty space, was highly suited to inlaid lacquer, as exemplified in this elegant piece.