A TWELVE PANEL 'LONGEVITY BANQUET' COROMANDEL SCREEN QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

carved with an auspicious and elaborate scene depicting various Daoist Immortals arriving with much fanfare to pay homage to the God of Longveity Shou Lao who sits with a small deer to one side under a pine tree waiting to receive celestial visitors, the 'Eight Immortals' with their various attributes, Wang Ziqiao flying towards the gathering on a crane, some crossing the waters of the Sea of Happiness on mythological animals, others on foot along mountain paths or crossing bridges including Zhongkui and his captive demon, Dongfang Shuo carrying a large bough of peaches, many other figures borne on clouds each holding gifts of peaches, other immortals traveling in a giant peach-form raft in the middle of the sea, Daojun, Magu, surrounded by attendants arriving in a heavenly cart of gnarled rootwood pulled by a deer, all in colorful pigments on a black ground, within a border of the 'Hundred Antiques', fruit and flowers, the reverse with plain black lacquer

Paul Morand, Palais d'Orsay, Paris, November 16-17 1977, lot 90.

There is considerable consolidation to lifted lacquer and lost pigments and areas of repaint.
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.

A twelve-panel coromandel screen with a similar composition is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and illustrated in W.de Kesel and G. Dhont, Coromandel Lacquer Screens, Gent, 2002, pp. 64-65, ill. 43.