A Large Painted Cinnabar Lacquer 'Dragon' Box and Cover Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period

of compressed globular form, brightly painted in polychrome enamels on the cinnabar lacquer ground and picked out with gold details, the slightly raised top with a large five-clawed green dragon writhing around a 'flaming pearl' among ruyi-shaped clouds and wispy flames, detailed with a sinuous scaly body, powerful limbs and a serrate spine, its broad face framed by long undulous whiskers flanking wide ferocious jaws and a flamboyant mane, the sides further decorated with four five-clawed dragons striding in a similar pursuit and repeated around the box, the flanged rim and foot picked out with half-'cash' borders, the interior and the base lacquered in red, the latter inscribed with a dedication to the Ryukyu Kingdom and dated to the Jimao year of Kangxi (in accordance with 1699)

There are some cracks to the bombé sides of the cover, more prominents in two areas at 5 o'clock and 12 o'clock. There are also cracks scattered around the cover rim that have been stabilized with red lacquer. The raised edge of the flat cover top is also relacquered in areas in order to stabilize age crackles. The painting is somewhat tarnished and rubbed on the sides of the cover but rather well preserved on the cover top as visible on the catalogue photograph. There are some surface scratches to the top, as visible on the catalogue illustration and a 1 by 0.5 cm flake to the lacquer on the dragon's tail. The gilding outlining the decoration is rubbed but still visible in several areas. The painting around the box itself is also rubbed and faded, although slightly better preserved than the painting around the side of the cove and there are some repaired chips to the interior rim and foot rim as well as scratches on the base. The inscription may be later added. The interior of the box and of the cover are likely to have been relacquered with some stabilized cracks at the level of the joint with the footring. The actual colour is somewhat deeper, more crimson-red and less orangey compared to the catalogue illustration. All together a very impressive box in fair condition considering its age and the fragility of the material.
"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."

Polychrome lacquer became popular in the late Ming dynasty and wares were produced either gold-engraved then coloured in the qiangjin and tianqi techniques or brush painted. The present box is of the latter type, with the colours enhanced through the use of gilt highlights. The craftsman has achieved a sense of dynamism and power through the ferocious depiction of the dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl, and similar designs were also found on imperial textiles of the period.

The dragon motif has been inspired by Ming prototypes, such as a carved cinnabar lacquer box attributed to the Wanli period, from the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Collection. Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Shanghai, 2006, pl. 166, together with a qiangjin and tianqi decorated example, but the dragon holding a treasure basin above its head, all within a lobed panel, ibid., pl. 178.