A LARGE YELLOW-GROUND GRISAILLE BOX AND COVER QING DYNASTY, GUANGXU PERIOD

of circular form, the central medallion of the domed cover painted with a full-frontal dragon encircling a 'flaming pearl', surrounded by sprigs of narcissus, lingzhi, grapes, peach, petunia and peach blossoms, all painted in grisaille reserved on a vivid yellow ground, enclosed within a stylised key-fret border at the rim, the fitted box rising from a straight footrim to an unglazed inner lip, the exterior similarly decorated, the interior and the base covered in a white glaze, the underside inscribed in iron-red with a four-character seal mark Ti He Dian zhi ('Produced by the Hall of Embodied Harmony')

The overall condition is very good. The painting is very crisp and clear with little to no wear. The glaze is a little bumpy on the interior and 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."

For the pattern of this box in the famille-rose palette, see one published in Guanyang Yuci, Beijing, 2007, p. 272. A related box with a grisaille central dragon medallion surrounded by flowering branches on a yellow ground is illustrated ibid., p. 263, together with its colour pattern, p. 262. Further yellow-ground boxes decorated in grisaille with the composition of a central medallion surrounded by plants are included ibid., pp. 271 and 275.

The Tihedian (Hall of Embodied Harmony) was one of the six palaces in the north-western sector of the Forbidden City where the Empress Dowager Cixi lived during much of her tenure as Regent to her son, the Tongzhi emperor. For a jardinière with a Tihedian zhi mark, similarly decorated in grisaille on a yellow ground to depict large peony branches in a related naturalistic style, see one included in the exhibition Imperial Porcelain of Late Ch'ing from the Kwan Collection, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1985, cat. no. 119, and sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3^rd December 2008, lot 2221.