- 117
A CINNABAR LACQUER ‘STAR GODS’ BOX AND COVER MING DYNASTY, 16TH CENTURY
Description
- cinnabar lacquer
Provenance
Collection of F. Bailey Vanderhoef, Jr., California.
Exhibited
Condition
"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."
Catalogue Note
A closely related box in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is illustrated in Catalogue of Chinese Lacquer, London, 1925, pl. 46; and another was sold in our New York rooms, 2nd June 1976, lot 171. See also a box of this form, but the sides carved with immortals, sold at Christie’s New York, 19th September 2007, lot 117; and another of slightly smaller size decorated on the sides with birds and flowers, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Shanghai, 2006, pl. 110.
Among the various auspicious motifs found on this box are the Three Daoist Star Gods, Yang Cheng, Zhang Xian and Shoulao, symbolic of happiness (fu), high rank and prosperity (lu), and longevity (shou), the crane (he) hovering over a pavilion, which grants the wish haiwu tianchou (May you live to a ripe old age), and a fruiting peach tree that represents immortality. The lively scene of boys playing, which symbolises the wish for many sons, further enhances the auspicious message of the design.