A FINELY CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER ‘DRAGON AND LOTUS’ BOX AND COVER MING DYNASTY, XUANDE PERIOD |

of compressed globular form, finely and deeply carved to the domed cover with two sinuous five-clawed dragons amidst scrolling leafy lotus, the base with a broad band enclosing two large 'dragon carp' amidst waves and foliage, the interior and base lacquered black

Sotheby's London, 8th November 2006, lot 14.

Winged dragons are known as ‘yinglong’ and they have been highly extolled and praised in ancient texts such as Hanshu [Book of Han] compiled by the Eastern Han dynasty historian Ban Gu (32-92) as well as Wuzhi [Book of Wu] in the Records of the Three Kingdoms. The former, in particular, eulogises the yinglong and explicates its mighty power and prestige. The winged dragons on the exterior of the current box are similar to those depicted on the jars excavated in the imperial kiln site of Zhushan, included in the exhibition Xuande Imperial Porcelain Excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1998, cat. no. 4. The Xuande period was one that marked a stylistic and technical evolution for lacquer production in the Ming dynasty. The present box and cover, with its structured form and design, accentuated with a lush depiction of undulating leafy floral scrolls and a harmonious composition of dragons, demonstrates the precise attention to detail and meticulous execution of the imperial lacquer workshop in the Guoyuanchang (Orchard Workshop).

According to the Ming taizu shilu [Veritable records of the reign of Ming Taizu], an imperial edict issued in the third year of the Hongwu reign outlined that the employment of the colour yellow and various motifs, including dragon and phoenix, was strictly limited to imperial use. It was further decreed that previous representations were to be destroyed. The choice of composition on the current box and cover indicates that it was commissioned for imperial use.