A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER AND HUANGHUALI EIGHT-PANEL SCREEN QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

each panel intricately carved with a scene from the life of famed Tang dynasty General Guo Ziyi, including a depiction of the general as an infant, as a young child choosing his profession, as a young officer, as a valiant general, with a line of gift-bearing visitors paying homage and his investiture in heaven as a God of Wealth and Happiness, the lower sections carved with varying landscapes, the reverse black lacquer with poetic couplets in gilt, the last panel inscribed Qianlong Kuisheng Zhi, huanghuali-framed (8)

The sixth and eighth panel in the catalogue illustration have been broken and restored across the lower section just below the frame. The other panels have minor cracks, losses, scratches, wear and possible touch-ups to the lacquer. The reverse side has age cracks to each panel.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Guo Ziyi, Prince Zhongwu of Fenyang (697-781), was a Tang dynasty general credited with quelling the An Lushan rebellion and other uprisings that threatened the dynasty. His fame was legendary, and it is said that the Jade Emperor was so pleased with his accomplishments that he granted him a place in the Daoist pantheon as a God of Prosperity and Happiness - a fitting reward for a man who had spent so many years in battle.

Depictions of the General tend to show his birthday celebration and it is rare to see scenes from other aspects of his life. For an example of the birthday scene see the eight-panel carved cinnabar lacquer screen, dated to 1777, in the Metropolitan Museum, New York.

Lu Kuisheng, (given name Dong c. 1775-1850) was one of the most important lacquer artists of the Qing dynasty. He was part of an established family of lacquer artists started by his grandfather, Lu Yingzhi. Kuisheng's figural panels are of exceptional quality with great attention to detail. For a discussion of dating this type of work, see Sydney L. Moss, In Scholar's Taste, London, 1983, no. 147, and Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 102. For correlative lacquer inkstone boxes bearing Lu Kuisheng's seal, see The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, pls. 188 and 189.

For related screen examples see one sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 27th October 1992, lot 254 and sold again in our rooms in New York, 14th September, 2011, lot 192, and another sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3rd November, 1996, lot 910A.